


The Haunting of Danny Williams

by kailadawn



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Explicit Sexual Content, First Time, Ghosts, M/M, Ohana, Paranormal, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-24
Updated: 2014-01-18
Packaged: 2017-12-30 08:08:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 59,990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1016186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kailadawn/pseuds/kailadawn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If there is something that Danny William's has learned it is that your past will come back to haunt you. But he never dreamed it would be this literal.Now he must fight for his santiy and his home, while finding  out who will stand by him as his world gets turned upside down. As his dark secrets are revealed,  Danny learns just how strong his Ohana is and how powerful  love from the right man can be.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> October has me feeling like telling a scary story. A sexy scary story with some feels, but whatever. Hope that it works. Also I started writing this before Danny broke up with Gabby.
> 
> Thanks go to 4thoffive for the editing. All other mistakes are my own.
> 
> I own nothing

Change was the only constant in the life of Danny Williams.  Just when he got used to one thing, life would slap him with something else.  Sometimes the change was good. Like the time just after he settled into his role as a young detective and Rachel accidentally (on purpose) rear-ended him. That surprise resulted in the biggest and best change in his life, his daughter Grace. Then sometimes change wasn't so great. Like finding out his gut instincts were right and his wife was leaving him. Worse yet, Danny would have to uproot his life, because Rachel was moving his daughter half way around the world, and his only choice was to follow.  

The other thing about change was that Danny often had little say in the matter. He was a fighter by nature. He fought tooth and nail every day at work, and for Grace. But sometimes life still doesn't give you a choice. Such was the case with how he became a member of the Five-O taskforce.  He had Commander We-Do-Things-My-Way McGarrett to thank for that. McGarrett was the force behind a lot of change in Danny's life in Hawaii. He would never admit it out loud but not all of it was bad.  But Steve didn't stop at just butting into Danny's professional life.  Steve had basically badgered him into asking Gabby out for coffee, and that was good. At least Danny kept telling himself that it was a good change.  

Danny didn't like to think too much on change, chance, or circumstance. Not unless he wanted to bring on some existential crisis about lost opportunities and sexual identities. So all of that stayed safely in the back of his mind, with a lot of other things he kept there. Instead he focused on the here and now, which was he and Chin standing over the computer table in the bull pen.  

"There you go," Chin said, handing Danny back his phone.  "Address is programmed in there for you."

 "Chin Ho Kelly, you are a life saver. Thank you," Danny smiled at his Asian partner, slapping him on the back.  

Chin's face lit up with a beautiful smile that accented his perfect cheek bones. Danny felt like he was cursed to work with the most attractive task force in the country.

 "You know, even Grace could have set that address up for you in your phone. You should let me show you how."  

Danny caught movement coming from one of the offices. Steve swept out into the bull pen as Chin was talking. His eyes roving around, trying to figure out the scene before him.

 "I'm sure she could have, but you know me and technology. I will save what grey matter I have for my brilliant detective skills."

 "Uh, yeah," Chin teased, rolling his eyes.  

"What address?" Steve butted in.

 "Oh, uh... hello, Steve,"Danny said, with a fake smile and wave. "Welcome to the conversation you weren't invited too."  

 Steve crossed his arms over his chest and glared down at Danny. One change in their relationship - admittedly it was Danny's fault -was the lack of personal privacy. They could keep certain things to themselves, but it never lasted long. Danny had to open his big mouth years ago and keep pushing until the big guy let him in. Danny only wanted Steve to start sharing his burdens with someone else, that someone being him.  Being equal partners, as well as best friend, Danny just wanted to turn the Tin Man into a real boy; or something like that. Selfishly, he knew he had other reasons for pushing to get so close to Steve, it was also why his heart broke every time Steve's past came back to haunt him. But that was in a box in the back of his mind with all the other things Danny didn't think about.

 "It is an address for a place in Chinatown.  They make this really good herbal oil for my knee. You remember that oil stuff?"

 "Yeah," Steve sound almost insulted that Danny had to asked. "Did you forget where the place was?"

 "Did I forget?" Danny rolled his eyes. "The last time we were there was six months ago on a case. You shot the place up, things went boom, including the Governor's head. But as we were wrapping up you did spot the oil in a shop and recommend it, so thank you for that."

 "Hey, I even bought you enough to last six months," Steve said, brightly.

 Chin and Danny looked over at each other to reassure themselves they had both remembered the same event.  

"As I recall," Chin said. "You walked over to the old man who owned the shop still wearing your vest and covered in dirt, blood,"

 "And holding your gun," Danny added.  

"...and asked the man if this stuff really worked. He let you have all of the oil in the display for ten bucks, because he was scared of you," Chin finished.  

"You terrified the old man," Danny crossed his arms this time. "in his native language no less."

 "That's right, you were speaking Cantonese," Chin said, wistfully. "Poor guy didn't know what to think."

 Steve's face didn't seem human at times. It morphed and moved like it was made of rubber. Early on, Danny had made a pastime of cataloging all the different faces Steve made. Steve was going through several of those faces now as he ran through the events of that day in his mind while Chin and Danny watched. At first he looked as though they were joking, but the more he thought about it the more his face twisted in confusion. It looked like he was arguing with himself. He rejected some things, then finally looking over at his friends when he settled on the embarrassing truth that they were right. The whole thing only took a few seconds, but Danny couldn't help but stare fascinated at Steve's process. Although, staring at Steve with great fascination was nothing new.  

"I think I owe that man some money and an apology," Steve concluded, and all on his own, Danny thought proudly. "When are you going?"

 "I'm headed down there now if you want go. We can grab dinner after."  

Danny kept a straight face, or tried too. He tried to avert his eyes from Steve's but it was no use.  

 Steve let out an exasperated breath and ran his hands through his hair.

 "Dinner. I almost forgot. Catherine is making dinner tonight. I better get going."

 "You mean you actually get to have dinner together?" Chin asked. "She's been working a lot lately."

 "Yeah, more now than she did when she was in the Navy," Steve sighed. "Raincheck, Danno?"  

 "Yeah, whatever," Danny shrugged, like it wasn't yet another disappointing let down in a long line of disappointing let downs since both he and Steve had started seriously dating their girlfriends.

 There was awkward pause that thankfully Chin broke.  "Well, not that you guys care, but I have plans myself.  So don't bother asking me to go, Danny."

 "I'm sorry, Chin. I would love to buy you dinner, but since you already have plans..." Danny joked.  

"Yeah, yeah. Have fun in Chinatown," Chin laughed before heading out.  

"Danny," Steve called to him quietly.  

Danny's eyes went back to him and he saw the softer more inquisitive Steve.  "Yeah?"

 "We still on for Friday?" Steve asked. "With the girls?"  

"Yeah, as far as I know."

 Double dating was relatively new to them. Danny had a good relationship with Catherine. She was perfect for Steve, he couldn't deny that. As much as he didn't want to like her he did. If she made Steve happy then that was all that mattered, because... well... that was all that mattered. The happiness of Steve and Grace had become everything to Danny. That wasn't to say that he didn't care for Gabby, but it wasn't same. Gabby was still an outsider to Danny's group and he wanted to change that if he could. He wanted Steve to be close to Gabby like Danny was close to Catherine. Danny had believed that if they could all be good friends, and they all liked each other, then little would have to change with Steve and Danny's relationship.

 How wrong Danny was.  Steve and Gabby got along fine. That wasn't the problem. The problem was time. Steve and Danny never had the time together that they used to. Not when their case- free time was now being eaten up by date nights. However, Steve did take a great interest in Grace. After the disastrous camping trip, Steve still helped out with Aloha girls whenever Danny did. Steve taught the girls more "Danny approved" things, like tying knots and plant identification. Steve also jumped at the chance to help coach Grace's little league team.  

They may not have the alone time together like they use to but Danny knew he still had Steve. He was never going to have Steve the way he really wanted him that was clear now, he just needed to get over it and accept what he did have:  a great best friend, an extra set of eyes looking out for his daughter, and the best back-up a man could ask for. And no, he wasn't going to admit any of that to Steve, not without the fear of impending  death looming over him.

"Okay, Danny. Well I'll make sure I go with you the next time you get your oil so I can apologize," Steve said, rubbing the back of his neck.

 "Okay. Come on. Let's get out of here."

 Steve gave Danny one of those amazing smiles that he could only characterize as goofy. It was followed by Steve's long arm slinging around Danny's shoulders and giving him a squeeze as they walked out of the building. Some thing's Danny wished wouldn't change. Things he wished he could bottle and keep exactly the same for all time. This moment, this Steve, was one of those things.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danny gets more than he bargained for in Chinatown.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Editing by the 4thoffive 
> 
> All other mistakes are my own

  "Ten dollars," Mr. Yang said, from behind his counter.

 Mr. Yang was the same old man who had sold the oil to Steve all those months ago. It had taken Danny several minutes to get the staff to convince the man to talk to him. There was no doubt that as soon as he walked into the tiny street-side store, he was not only noticed, but recognized by the staff working inside. They all began speaking loudly to one another in Cantonese, likely debating on who was going to be the one to approach Danny. He wished he had Steve to translate what they were saying. He didn't believe they were saying anything good. The only reason they recognized him was because of Steve, so having him here would have only made it worse. Steve's reputation stretched as wide as his freakishly long wing span, which Danny regularly tried not think about. So for Danny, because  Steve was known on O'ahu so was he, for better or worse; in this case worse.  

"I know this stuff is worth more than ten dollars," Danny motioned to the boxes on the counter. The man had brought out ten boxes, four more than Danny had gotten last time. It was clear he was giving Danny all he had just  to get rid of him.  

"No, for you ten dollars," the man said again.

 "Respectfully, I appreciate that. I know my partner, the big guy with the tattoos and the guns,bought this last time. He went about things...badly. He's a bit backwards when it comes to dealing with civilized humans. He's used to negotiating with terrorists."  

"Yes, Commander McGarrett."

 "Yes, Commander McGarrett," Danny smile politely. "He can be an animal and I  apologize."

 "Detective, ten dollars," Mr. Yang continued.

   Danny felt stuck between a rock and a hard place. He knew to offer more, or force more, would be an insult to this man. Danny knew this long before ever coming to Hawaii. He had dealt with many people from Chinatown in New York. The older generation of people who ran many of the businesses there were a proud and honorable group. They didn't take handouts lightly. Even if Danny was trying to repay a debt, Mr. Yang may not see it that way.  

 "Thank you," Danny huffed. "Ten this time. But I promise I won't bring Commander McGarrett back here again if you promise to charge me full price next time."  

The man's eyes grew wide as he studied Danny in disbelief.

 "Deal."

The man took Danny's money and bagged his items.

 Danny hurried out of the store, fishing for his phone buried in his pocket. He wanted to text Steve and remind him of how much of a jerk he had been to Mr. Yang months ago. Then he remembered it was date night with Catherine.  He jammed his phone back  into his pocket a little rougher than necessary. It was in his desperate attempt not to think about Steve with Catherine that caused Danny not to see the young woman approach him.  

"You detective Williams?" the Hawaiian woman asked.

 She stepped into Danny's path from where she had been standing next to the herbal shop. She couldn't have been older than 25 with a mane of unruly dark brown curls that hung  low down her back. Immediately Danny knew something was off about her. He couldn't tell if she was high or sick, but something was wrong. Her tan skin seemed pale, except for the dark rings around her eyes. Her tank top and shorts hung from her lanky frame.

 "Yeah. Do I know you?"

 "No," she said, flatly.  "Do you remember Jason Awana?"  

The name triggered a memory in his mind from six months ago. The same day Steve bought the oil at the shop. Things had gone  awry on that same street. That was the whole reason Five-O  had ended up in Chinatown in the first place. They had been trailing a lead that took them to some small time dealers. Small time dealers that spooked easy as it turned out. Jason Awana was 27 with a rap sheet a mile long which went back to his early teens. During the fire fight, Jason pulled his gun on Chin who was covering Kono. Danny had no choice but to do what he had to do. He shot Jason. He didn't like  doing it, but he would do it again if one of his team was in danger. But now he was faced with someone who obviously cared for a person whose life he'd taken.

 Danny squared his shoulders, but tried to keep a soft expression, "I do. You, uh…you obviously knew him, but let me say-"

 "Don't," the woman lifted her hand to stop him. "My brother was no saint. I'm not going to defend him. I know what happened here, right here. He left you with no choice."

Danny blinked several times at the woman, dumbstruck as to what to do next. The woman looked so lost, but she wasn't angry with him. He was mystified as to why she was confronting him, except she was maybe looking for closure.  

"That doesn't make it any easier," Danny assured her. "What happened, his death, it was all…needless."  

The woman let out a tired laugh as she ran her hand over her wild hair.

"Nothing is easy, but it's time for things to rest where they truly belong."

 That made no sense to him whatsoever. If anything her behavior was starting to creep him out.  

"I'm sorry," she said, shaking her head as if reading his thoughts. "It's been a little crazy lately. My mother hasn't been the same since Jason died. I've been taking care of my two younger siblings. Well, it's not your problem. One of Mr. Yang's employees said you were here. I told them to let me know if they ever saw you here again. I just wanted to tell you I personally hold no anger toward you."  

The woman looked like she was dead on her feet. Danny still had his concerns, but decided to take her apology at face value.

"I'm very sorry for your loss. I am," Danny said, pulling out his wallet. "Here is my card if you need anything."

He noticed the slight tremor in her hand when she took his card. She heaved a great sigh and held the card in her hand like he had handed her the key to Oz.

"Thank you, detective," she managed a smile.  Danny nodded and said his goodbyes. He quickly got out of Chinatown and headed back home. He made a mental note to ask Chin to pick up the oil next time. 

                                                                               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Danny woke up suddenly. He was lying on his back when he felt the bed dip down by his knee. There had been no sound to warn him of an intruder in his home. There was no time to reach for his weapon in the drawer of his night stand, but he tried anyway.    

A large hand reached out to encircle his wrist and a low familiar voice said, "It's okay, Danny. It's me."  

Danny's eyes blinked desperately straining to see who was above him. The moonlight shining through the window above the bed gave him enough light to make out a few key things. He could see broad shoulders, long arms, and the faint glimmer in those all too familiar eyes.

 "Steve," Danny relaxed, but was still confused. "What the hell? Why are you sneaking into my bedroom in the middle of the night?"  

"I just...I just needed to see you," Steve whispered.

"At ass o'clock in the morning? What's really going on?"

 Danny tried to sit up, but Steve wouldn't let him. His hands cupped Danny's face causing the shorter man to freeze instantly. He was lying there in bed in nothing but his boxer briefs with Steve hovering over him; Danny was feeling a bit exposed.

 "Just shut up, Danny," Steve said, before he surged forward and kissed him.  

Danny lay there frozen for what felt like an eternity before he finally got with the program. He wasn't exactly sure what program he was tuning into, but he was enjoying the show. He opened up for Steve and felt a thrill when Steve moaned in response. They kissed liked it was all they knew how to do. Danny's hands roamed Steve's back pressing him ever closer. He dared to slip his hands under Steve's shirt to finally feel the heat from the firm body he had been secretly lusting over for so long. It was Danny who was now moaning into Steve's mouth. It seemed to encourage Steve, who shifted to straddle a still dazed Danny. Steve's large hands tugged at Danny's hair while his lips nipped a trail from his jaw down his neck.

"I need you, Danny. God, I need you so bad," Steve gasped with hot breaths against Danny's skin. "Fuck me, Danny. Please."

 Steve rolled his hips down on Danny's. Even with the layers of material between them, Danny could feel Steve's full erection. Danny was painfully hard now as well and as always, unable to refuse Steve.

 Danny got his hands on the hem of Steve's shirt and pulled up on it harshly. Steve sat up and started to take the shirt off when something occurred to Danny. Some people would call it a conscience, Danny would call it a cock-blocker right now, but he had to go with it.  

"Wait, Steve," Danny almost bit his tongue, as Steve's hand let go of his shirt and he stared down at him. "What about Catherine? Gabby? What's happening?"

"I took care of it?" Danny could almost make out Steve shrugging. "I took care of everything. Now we can be together."  

Danny pushed his way to sit up, even with Steve's weight on him. He reached for Steve, to press a hand against his chest, and he felt something wet and tacky there.

"What the hell?" Danny asked.

 "It's okay, Danny," Steve said, grabbing Danny's wrist again. "Forget about it. Kiss me, please."  

That wasn't going to happen. Danny managed to reach the bedside lamp with his free hand and turned it on. Steve still clung to Danny's left wrist smearing blood across their skin. Danny's eyes snapped to Steve's blue polo. The front was drenched in dark red blood that continued down the front of his cargo pants. Blood splattered his arms, face and neck; yet he smiled at Danny reassuringly.  

"It's all right, Danno. It's not mine."

"What did you do?" Danny grabbed Steve's arms.

He wanted to protect Steve, but this was bad.  

"I got rid of them, Danny. No women, no problem right?"

 "Steve?" Danny felt like he was going to have a heart attack or a stroke, maybe both.  

Sudden movement from his right, and a flash of silver, caught Danny's eye. Jason Awana stood by the bedroom door. He was dressed like the thug he was the day he died, wearing sagging jeans and a white tank. The tank was covered in blood coming from the wound in his head. Danny could see the bullet hole he had put above Jason's left ear. Jason had a gun, that was what caught Danny's attention. He pointed it straight at Steve's head. Steve wasn't paying any attention to Jason. He just stared down at Danny waiting for his approval.  

"Jason, no!" Danny screamed reaching for his own gun.

  _Bang_

 Danny was screaming, covered in sweat when he woke up. This time he was truly awake. He ran his hand over his face trying to wipe away the feeling of Steve‘s blood on his face after Jason had shot him. The dream was so real that the gun shot was still ringing in his ears.  

There were hundreds of nights when Danny had dreamt of Steve.  Thirty-five percent of the dreams were case related; usually he wouldn't remember the details once he woke up.  The other sixty-five percent were sex related. Never had any of them ended with Steve covered in blood or being shot by a dead drug dealer.  

There was a muffled crashing sound coming from the front of his house. Instantly, Danny went for his gun and got out of bed. He could see from the clock on his phone it was three a.m. He listened for sounds of a possible intruder. Unlike his dream he did have sweatpants and a shirt on as he began going through the dark house. He'd rented a home in a quiet neighborhood, a good half way point between Rachel's and Steve's.  So when he heard the neighbor's pit bulls barking and saw the flood light on from the house on the left, he knew something was up.

After doing a sweep of the house he determined no one was inside. Danny went to the front door. As soon as he opened it he found the source of the sound. He had four potted plants on his small porch. Grace had given them to him when he moved in. One had been knocked over. The pot was cracked and some of the branches from the lush green plant were broken. More disturbing was what was laying by the plant. Danny stepped over it and checked the perimeter first. It was all clear. Whoever had been there was gone now, leaving Danny with an interesting mess on his doorstep. He turned on his porch light, grabbed his phone and took detailed pictures.

 A Ouija board sat on the cement by his front door. There were red words written, in what he assumed was blood, above the board.  

‘He is here.'

 In the middle of the Ouija board four tiny little nails tacked down a business card. The nails themselves left bloody trails on the card and a bloody thumb print was stamped neatly on the center of the card. He didn't need a closer look to know itwas his business card.

 "Fantastic," Danny whispered into the night.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “What’s going on?” Chin asked. “Why is Fong e-mailing me stuff about a disturbance you reported to Duke last night Danny?”
> 
> “Excuse me?” Steve bellowed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The great editing work was done by the 4thoffive ! 
> 
> All other mistakes are my own  
>  ~~~~~

There hadn’t been any more sleep for Danny the rest of that night. He needed to formulate a plan and that included making some phone calls he wasn't happy to make. He didn't want to cause a scene but he needed to document what had happened. Luckily, he had a friend at the forensics department and a few officers at HPD who had his back.

 

When Danny did show up to work, red evidence bag in hand, he was surprised and disappointed to see only Kono standing by the computer table. He wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible and move on with their lives. He honestly didn’t want to bring this up at all, but in case it became a problem later he knew he needed to make them aware of what had happened last night. He also didn't think he had the energy to tell his story too many more times. Being a cop meant that sometimes you had to run on little to no sleep, but this was different. Danny felt more drained than he should have for only having three hours sleep. He pushed it aside, attributing it to the adrenaline rush from last night and the overall strangeness that was yesterday.

 

 “Hey, Danny,” Kono smiled sweetly to him before returning to whatever she was trying to do.

 

Kono pushed some of her silky brown hair behind her ear. The light caught it in just that perfect way it always did that brought out the hidden honey colored highlights.  She looked as effortlessly stunning as she did fiercely ass-kicking in her loose navy colored top, black skinny jeans, and black mini-boots.

 

 He was definitely sure he was doomed to work with the hottest task force in the country and he would gladly accept anyone's challenge to prove him wrong.

 

“Oh, hey, um, where is everybody? I need to talk to you guys about a disturbance last night.”

 

The cheery disposition she had greeted him with shifted to concern as she turned to face him properly. Danny had made every effort to look as normal as possible today even though he felt the complete opposite. His hair had a bit of an unruly wave to it, his skin was paler than normal, and his shirt was already a wrinkled mess, but he had been wearing it for five hours already. The gun shot in his dream still rang in his ears in much the way his ears would ring after his concert-going days in his youth. He also felt sick to his stomach, much as he would back in those days too, but that was after too much booze, not seeing your best friend being murdered by a ghost.

 

It was clear by the look in Kono's eyes he wasn't fooling anyone. She turned to flag Chin out of his office. That action alerted Steve who beat Chin out of his own office by a few seconds.

 

 “Danny, you look like hell,” Steve announced, going to his partner's side.

 

“You’re a real sweet talker, McGarrett, you know that?” Danny mumbled.

 

“What’s going on?” Chin asked. “Why is Fong e-mailing me stuff about a disturbance you reported to Duke last night Danny?”

 

“Excuse me?” Steve bellowed. “What the hell? Are you okay? Why didn’t you call us?”

 

“Okay, everyone calm down,” Danny held up his free hand. “I had Fong send the stuff to Chin so he could use our big fancy computer because I cannot. So if you would make it so…or whatever.”

 

Chin rolled his eyes and started typing in his information while Danny explained the situation.

 

“Last night I woke up in the middle of the night from a dream. Then I heard a noise out front. The neighborhood dogs were going crazy – the whole nine yards. That’s when I saw this,” Danny took the Ouija Board out of the evidence bag.

 

It was encased in another clear evidence bag, but that was still not enough layers between him and it for Danny’s liking.

 

 Everyone stopped and stared at the board as he set  it down on the edge of the table.

 

 “Oh my god, that’s your card! Is that blood?” Kono asked.

 

 “Fong said it’s human blood. Can you pull up the scene photos, Chin?”

 

 Chin opened them from his email. Danny explained the scene of the broken planter, the letters written in blood, and the board itself.

 

 “Fong took a closer look but he couldn’t find anything else. No one tried to get in the house or in my car. No voodoo dolls up the tail pipe or anything. He hasn't been back to work in the field very long and I hated to bring him out for something like this, but...”

 

 “He ran the finger print,” Chin pulled up the report. “Ryna Awana,22,no record.”

 

 “We just met yesterday,” Danny said. "Apparently, I left an impression."

 

 “What? Where?” Steve asked.

 

 “In Chinatown,” Danny continued. “Long story short, Ryna is Jason Awana’s sister.

Jason being one of the drug dealers we had a run in with down there six months ago.”

 

 “He was one of the ones killed,” Kono grimaced.

 

 Danny nodded, “She said she wasn’t angry with me, just that times have been hard taking care of her younger siblings because her mother can't. She did say something weird, something about things needing to rest where they belong now.”

 

 “This is really weird,” Chin agreed with what Danny was saying, but his face was buried in a report on the screen.

 

 "You wanna be more specific, babe?" Danny said before taking a deep breath.

 

 He felt like he could close his eyes and fall asleep at any moment and this exhaustion was making him more of a crab than usual.

 

 "I just pulled up some more information on Jason. According to this they have the same parents listed on their personal information. Father has been deceased since they were young and the mother is in a women’s prison in California. There are no other siblings listed."

 

 "Why would she lie about that?" Kono pressed her palms against the table and studied the screen. "Unless she wanted Danny's sympathy for some reason."

 

 "I gave her my card after she said that," Danny groaned. "Told her if she needed anything she should call. She seemed very happy about that."

 

 Steve waved his hand over the board, "Apparently, that's what she wanted.. She needed your card for whatever...bullshit this is. So she played on your sympathy."

 

 There was more to his story. It was right on the tip of Danny’s tongue, but there was so much there. He wanted to tell them about it. The urge to do so was so strong, but yet he was afraid he would say too much. What if he accidentally revealed what was happening in the dream before the dead guy came in and ruined everything? There would be no going back if everyone knew his darkest secret.

 

 The room started to spin wildly. Danny leaned forward grabbing the table with both hands. The nausea hit him hard and had him seeing double. This wasn't the normal after effects of adrenaline.

 

Steve was on him instantly. His steady hand on Danny’s back.

 

 “You okay?”

 

 “No,” Danny said, quickly.

 

Everyone let him have a moment until the world slowed down. Luckily, he kept the contents of his stomach – which were very little – down.

 

“Look, there is one thing I need to tell you guys. I swear though if anyone laughs or mocks me…”

 

 “Danny,” Kono urged. “We won’t. Do you want to sit down first?”

 

 Danny straightened himself up, fighting the nausea. He was not about to pass out like some punk over a dream.

 

 “No. I’m good,” Danny ran his hand through his hair. “The dream I had, the one that woke me up before I found this, was the worst dream I’ve had in a while and Jason Awana was in it. The dream was a normal dream at first. I was arguing with Steve and then things twisted. Things got dark and wrong, and then Jason showed up out of nowhere. He was standing in my bedroom with the hole, that I put in his head, still bleeding, and he shot Steve…I felt it. I felt Steve’s blood hit my face. I felt his body…fall on me.”

 

 Steve squeezed his shoulder with that large hand Danny had dreamt about only hours ago. It was then that Danny realized how loud his voice had become and that he was ranting. He reviewed what he had said, and prayed he hadn't said too much. The Jersey loudmouth really didn't trust himself in his weakened state.

 

 “You ran into the guy's sister that afternoon. She got into your head and then you had a dream about it,” Chin rationalized.

 

 “At the same time she was just outside my house,” Danny argued.

 

 “You think it’s connected?” Kono asked seriously.

 

 “I don’t know. I’m talking crazy.”

 

 Steve wrapped his arm around Danny’s shoulders. It was clear he was taking control of the situation which was good by Danny. He was done.

 

 “Chin, Kono, see if you can find this Ryna Awana. Find out what her deal is. I want to make sure she isn’t a threat. I don’t want this kind of shit,” Steve said, flipping the edge of the board with his fingers, “around Gracie.”

 

 “On it, boss,” Kono said.

 

 Danny couldn’t meet their eyes, but he heard the cousins taking their leave. He himself was being manhandled into Steve’s office.

 

 Danny flopped himself down on Steve's sofa and let his body sink into the cushioning. Steve naturally crowded himself next to him. Tan cargo pants and yet another ridiculously tight blue shirt brushed up against Danny. The warmth and familiarity of it felt good. Steve’s hands were laced together in his lap and he nervously watched Danny.

 

 "This has really got you shook up," Steve finally said.

 

 "I know it was just a dream," Danny dropped his head to the back of the sofa. "But you know I don't like this whole ghost stuff. But more than that I just feel wiped out, you know?  Like I could sleep the rest of the day."

 

 "I do have a couple of questions."

 

 Danny looked with a curious eye at his brunette counterpart. The Navy man shifted in his seat to face Danny better, but stayed just as close.

 

 "You said you were just having a normal dream when Awana showed up?"

 

 "Yes."

 

 "You normally dream about me?" Steve may have been aiming for cocky but came off bashful with his question. "Arguing with me I mean, in your dream?"

 

 "Yes, Steven you have damaged my brain so much that my normal sleep cycles include dreams of my typical waking pastime, arguing with you. Now I have a headache."

 

 "Do we often argue in the bedroom?"

 

 "What?" Danny stalled so he could think back on what he said earlier.

 

 "You said Awana appeared in your bedroom and shot me," Steve said, with an impish shrug and an awkward laugh. "It was just a dream."

 

 

 "Yeah it was. And yes we do. We argue everywhere."

 

 Steve smiled and bumped Danny's knee with his long leg. Just like that the tension was eased. His secret was safe from Steve, for now. But that didn't mean his heart was safe from that small smile on Steve's lips and the way those large eyes looked at him. The blue of Steve's eyes seemed to vary with his moods. Right now they were a calming grey-blue, and it made Danny's heart ache. He cursed inwardly at himself for being so weak today. He knew he was smiling right back at Steve and not putting up his guard whatsoever. 

 

 "I'll get you some water and aspirin," Steve smiled as he gracefully got to his feet. "Then you should get some rest."

 

 Danny found it hard to believe they were the same age when Steve could move like that. Danny was no slouch when it came to fitness, but he couldn't do half the stunts Steve pulled daily.

 

Steve dutifully got him the aspirin and water then Danny crashed on Steve's sofa. Something about being in Steve's office, the security, the scent, the knowledge, that Steve was right outside the room, lulled him right to sleep.  When he woke later he chastised himself. He was a grown man who shouldn't be afraid of bad dreams or dead drug dealers. Yet he lingered and stalled as long as he could before he finally left the office for the night.

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was the weekend and even though he would be without Grace, he was hoping for a case-free, paranormal-freak-show-free weekend. Even if that meant starting it out with a double date with the perfect Navy couple.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to the 4thoffive for all the hard work in editing this story!
> 
> ~~~~~~~

Friday finally arrived and Danny was up with the sun. He had been plagued again with dreams of the day he took Jason Awana's life. He dreamt of alternate realities in which he missed his shot and Jason took Chin and Kono's lives. Steve screamed and raged at Danny, blaming him for their deaths. Then he had dreams of Steve coming to his bed. Again, Steve was covered in the blood of their girlfriends’. Again, Jason killed Steve before Danny could stop him.

 

 Danny went for a long run that morning, even though he felt like he was going to drop over dead. He wanted to work out these demons inside of him. He still had the work day to get through and a date night. He hadn't the strength for either, but there was no getting out of it. His best hope was that they didn't catch a case this weekend because he needed sleep in the worst way, but he needed to shake these nightmares first.

 

The day had moved along uneventfully. It was late afternoon and Steve was in Danny's office going over the finally details of their double date that night when Chin popped his head in.

 

 "You guys will want to see this," Chin said.

 

 They followed Chin over to the computer where Kono was already standing.

 

 "What's up?" Steve asked.

 

 "You know Chin and I couldn't locate Ryna Awana yesterday," Kono explained. "Well a few officers spotted her at a gas station near Kailua. They didn't get her, but she did drop her phone."

 

 Kono put the phone on the table and her slender fingers made quick work of bringing up the information they needed.

 

 "It's a prepaid internet phone. Most of her searches have been about this."

 

 The screens were filled with several different web addresses all about the paranormal and the occult. Danny wasn’t sure what he was looking at, but he knew it wasn’t looking good in his favor.

 

 “From what we’ve read so far,” Chin spoke up, “these are about getting rid of ghosts or conjuring spirits. Not just in Hawaiian beliefs. No this girl was covering her bases. She was looking into voodoo, Wicca, and old Asian superstitions.”

 

 Chin brought up the picture of Danny’s front porch.

 

 “She selected a mixture of various different cultural and spiritual beliefs, possibly in an attempt to get rid of a spirit,” Chin said hesitantly, “The Ouija board being a modern spin on a spirit board used for centuries in western cultures.. The lab says the blood on the board is  human, probably Ryna’s , but she isn't in the system so we can’t be sure. But a blood offering is used in several different beliefs. The offering on your card, as well as bringing it to your door step Danny, is something of black magic. Nothing specific was done. It was just a desperate attempt by Ryna to get rid of whatever she believed was following her.”

 

“Her brother,” Danny stated the obvious.

 

 “The girl is clearly unstable,” Kono added. “We’ll find her.”

 “Yeah. Did you find anything else? Like how she found out where I lived?” Danny asked.

 

 “Yeah,” Kono said. “According to her outgoing calls she made a call after her run-in with you to a member of the Kapu. I put in a call to Kawika earlier and he just got back to me before we grabbed you guys. Turned out she called an old boyfriend . She said she was looking to reach out to Danny to say she held to ill will, but the guy was reluctant. He said he knew the neighborhood where Danny lived but that was it. Kawika believed him. Ryna must have driven around all night looking for your car.”

 Chin brought up a photo on the screen, “She had this in her phone.”

 

 There were three photos of Danny getting into his car in Chinatown including one decent shot of his plate. If the girl was that desperate it wouldn’t be that far off to think she drove around looking for his car.

 

 “Well whatever she hoped to accomplish maybe she thinks she has and she's done,” Danny said.

 

 “Any more dreams? Kono asked.

 

 Danny shrugged one shoulder, unsure if he should admit it, "Yeah, the same one. Plus, variations of the day Jason Awana was shot in Chinatown."

 

 "It could be just the stress," Chin said. "Believe it or not Max is into the paranormal. Fong actually suggested we talk to him. I was going to ask his opinion on the stuff this girl left."

 

 "That's fine," Danny approved.

 

 “Good work, guys,” Steve said.

 

 “We’ll right this up in case something else does happen,” Chin said.

 

 Danny nodded but seriously hoped this would be the end of it. It was the weekend and even though he would be without Grace, he was hoping for a case-free, paranormal-freak-show-free weekend. Even if that meant starting it out with a double date with the perfect Navy couple.

 

                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Dinner went well, all things considered. Danny felt like there was more than one giant elephant in the room, but he wasn’t about to address any of them. The first pachyderm being the fact he hadn’t told Gabby about what had happened at his house the other night, or the strange dreams he'd been having. The other being how conflicted he felt about being out on this double date. They were at a nice bistro and he was sitting next to Steve, who looked relaxed and sexy as hell in a light grey t-shirt. The tall SEAL was leaning back in his seat smiling at his date who was in the middle of telling a story. There was Danny’s conflict.

 

 Catherine looked stunning as ever in her short, emerald green dress, her pale but toned arms waving about as she talked. Her long dark hair cascaded down over her shoulders and framed her face beautifully. She was perfect for Steve in every way, from their super model exteriors to their tough-as-nails interiors. It made Danny sick, and yet protective of their relationship at the same time. Because he would never want Steve to hurt the way he had when he and Rachel split – both times.

  Between Catherine and Danny sat Gabby. She had her chocolate brown hair up in large curls that flowed down over the straps of her pink blouse. She started laughing at Catherine’s story at the same time Danny heard Steve's deep rumbling laugh. Danny smiled brightly and tried to seem like he was joining it, but he was a bit distracted by the beautiful people surrounding him. Gabby looked over at him and for a second he wondered if she knew how distracted he was. Then she gave him that sly smile, the one that rounded out her cheeks and told him they would be making love later that night. Danny reached over and took her hand in his and willed himself to believe that this would be enough.

 “If you’ll excuse me,” Catherine said. “I’m going to the ladies room.”

 “I’ll go with you,” Gabby said, following Catherine.   
 

 “You don’t need me to go with you to the bathroom too do you?” Danny joked once the women were gone. “Hold your wallet for you? Assuming you brought it.”

  
“Very funny. Yeah, Danny let's go to the bathroom, I got something you can hold for me,” Steve grunted back before taking a drink of his beer. “This was nice though…the four of us getting together.”

 “Yeah,” was all Danny could think of to say.

 “Gabby’s a great girl.”

 “Yeah. I’m glad you bullied me into asking her out for coffee.”

 “I did not bully you,” Steve huffed.

 “Yeah, you pretty much did. But that’s okay. I mean we've had our tough spots, but she's back in Hawaii, and...It all worked out...I guess,” Danny shrugged. “Your thing with Catherine is working out too. She’s great. Great for you.”

 “Yeah,” Steve said, like it was all he could think of to say. “I do miss our time…you know…guy time.”

 Danny's eyebrows nearly touched his hairline when he heard that. What Steve said came out with a genuine yet casual tone. But looking at Steve, Danny saw the goof looked skittish, like he had done something wrong. Danny wanted to jump up and down and thank any god that was listening because he missed hanging with Steve like they use too.

 “Me too,” he said as calmly as possible.

 Both men stared at one another for a long moment, just taking in the other’s reactions.

 “We should go-”

 “We should hang out -”

 They both started speaking at the same time and ending up laughing like awkward teens. Danny felt a strange nervous feeling when Steve rubbed the back of his neck and bit his lip. It was too much. Maybe he was better off spending less time with Steve, because right now he was looking too sexy for someone acting this awkward. Danny couldn’t stand it.

 “I already told you I have a date for the prom, Steven,” Danny said, trying to remain the picture of cool. "I don't care if you are the star quarterback or not."

 “You wanna go surfing tomorrow?” Steve asked. “Watch the game after and grill something?”

 “Sounds good.” Danny took a deep breath he hadn‘t realized he needed. “You don't have any plans...with Catherine?”

 “No,” Steve shrugged. “You?”

 “With Catherine, no.”

 “Smartass,” Steve laughed.

 “But I do with Gabby  later in the  evening.”  
 

 “Aww is someone planning a man date?” Catherine asked, teasingly as the women came back to the table.

 Danny rolled his eyes even as Gabby laughed at him before she placed a kiss on his cheek. He really should be thankful for what he had instead of pining after more, but life just didn’t seem to work that way. His life was filled with ideas, wants, goals that he kept hidden in the back of his mind. He tried to just go about living life like they never existed. So in that spirit, he took Gabby home and made love to her, all while trying desperately not to think about how excited he was about his alone time with Steve.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
> Now that we got that business out of the way we can move on to more sexy scary times in the chapters to come soon!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts of Ryna coming back, this time with friends, entered Danny’s mind. He eased his night stand drawer open and retrieved his gun then looked back to make sure Gabby was still asleep. Now was not the time for her to wake up and start asking questions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The editing was done by 4thofFive, who I am so thankful for!
> 
>  
> 
> All other mistakes found are my own!
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Danny woke up in a cold sweat to the sound of a gunshot echoing  somewhere deep in his subconscious. He couldn’t remember the dream, only the sound of the gun going off

 He lay as still as possible while he tried to slow his breathing and pounding heart. Nightmares came with the job, and somehow he had managed to slip back into the habit of not waking up his bed mate. He had grown successful at it over the years he was married to Rachel, or she had just grown used to his dreams.

Once his heart felt like it was no longer going to explode, he looked over at Gabby. His girlfriend was sound asleep with her back to him. He slowly eased himself up to sit at the side of the bed. The bedside clock told him it was 3:05 a.m., still far too early to be up.

A new sound caught Danny's attention. A low, deep voice that was barely audible. It sounded like a man’s voice, but the words were indistinguishable. It sounded distant and muffled, like it was coming from another room or outside.

Thoughts of Ryna coming back, this time with friends, entered Danny’s mind. He eased  his night stand drawer open and retrieved his gun then looked back to make sure Gabby was still asleep. Now was not the time for her to wake up and start asking questions.

Danny slipped out of bed and moved down the hall. This was by far the largest of any place Danny had rented since he came to Hawaii. He liked it so well he even let Grace pick out some Hawaiian-themed paintings at the swap meet one Saturday. He had never stayed in one place long enough to really think about decorating it before. But in this situation he missed having the small square footage when having to search it in the dark.

He kept his gun ready by his side as he tried to pinpoint where the voice was coming from. It didn’t seem to be getting any louder or clearer, but it was persistent. It also sounded aggressive. It was coming from nowhere but everywhere and it didn't seem to be pleased with Danny.

There were no dogs barking this time. No flood lights were on and there was no indication that anyone was outside. Danny checked the locks on the doors and made sure no one was creeping around the house. He found nothing, but he could still hear the voice. The voice wasn’t speaking English – it sounded like Hawaiian – but it was speaking rhythmically, chanting. The voice was chanting in a way that made Danny very uncomfortable. There in the dark, it made Danny feel like he was being stalked by a predator, who was toying with him before making the final blow.

 The paranoia was getting to him, making him draw his gun on shadows. Danny went into the kitchen and set his gun down on the kitchen island.  His hands were shaking. In his mind he knew there had to be a logical explanation. There couldn't be a chanting Hawaiian voice in his house. There was a house very close to his, he muffled voice was probably coming from there..

Danny rubbed his hand over his face and groaned. He didn’t want to imagine what weird late night shenanigans his neighbors got up too. The more he convinced himself this was what was happening the more the voice began to fade away until it was completely gone.

Danny pulled a glass down from  the cabinet. He got some water from the tap, wishing it were whiskey. He took a long, dissatisfying drink then set the glass gently down into the sink basin. The house was still and quiet as it should be. Except for some weird neighbors, everything was back to normal.

 Danny collected his gun and headed back to the bedroom. But any hope he had for getting some more sleep that night was shattered when he heard glass breaking behind him. He had made it to the entrance of the hallway when he heard the crash. He turned around quickly but saw no one. Nothing had changed from a few seconds ago. He slowly retraced his steps and saw that his glass, the one he knew with great certainty he had set down in the sink, was now in a million pieces on the kitchen floor.

 

Danny set his gun back down on the counter before squatting down to look at the tiny shards. He tried desperately to find logic in what he was seeing, but there was none. The glass had been reduced to fine pieces of sharp confetti. It hadn't merely fallen from the edge of the sink. The detective in him could see that for the glass to have shattered like this it would have had to have had much more downward force put on it than just gravity alone. If he would have seen this in any other circumstance he would have assumed someone had thrown it to the ground quite violently.

As Danny stared at the shards something came over him. It was a feeling he hadn’t felt in years. An icy chill ran up his back. It reminded him of opening the front door to get the paper on a cold winter morning when all he had on was his sleep pants and a t-shirt. It was a sudden temperature drop that stole his breath.  But he was in his kitchen in Hawaii there was no reason for this to be happening.

 

 “Always a mess,” growled an old woman's voice.

 

 The voice seemed to be right in Danny’s ear and startled him so much so that it had him scrambling forward to get away. He tried to avoid the glass but  he lost his balance and fell the rest of the way to the floor. He turned and saw a face across from him near the refrigerator. It was the face of a haggard old woman, or at least that’s what he could have sworn he’d seen. It matched the voice he just heard. It was the face of a wrinkled and displeased looking woman, only somehow it was just her face. It was a two dimensional outline in blue smoky light. Danny could see the cabinets directly behind the translucent face. The woman glared at him then drifted away as the kitchen light came on.

 

 “Danny? What’s going on?” a blurry-eyed Gabby asked. “I heard glass breaking and it sound like you fell.”  
 

 “Oh, uh…yeah. I dropped my glass. And then I slipped.”

 

“Why are you even up?”

 

 “I…I just am. I needed a drink.”

 

 “And you felt like you needed your gun with you to get a drink?”

 

 Danny was about to answer her, but he really wasn’t sure what he was going to say. Gabby tossed her hands in the air with a sigh. She walked over to him and joined him on the floor.

 

 “What’s really going on?” she asked gently. “You haven’t been yourself the last couple days. I thought hanging out with Steve and Catherine last night, and the promise of some alone time with Steve tomorrow – well later today now – would help lift your mood.”

 

 “Wait? What? Why do you think Steve has anything to do with…anything?”

 

 “Danny,” she groaned. “Come on. Ever since I’ve come back and Catherine and Steve's relationship has taken a serious turn, you’ve been a bit down. You’ve lost your guy time. Things are starting to change and I  thought you were just having trouble adjusting. But we had such a good night then I wake up to find you like this.”

 

 Danny let his head thump back against the lower cabinets in his kitchen. He could not believe he had been that transparent. If she had noticed then Catherine must have noticed, too. No doubt  the women had talked about this, because that is what women do. The only thing he could hope for was that they had  left Steve out of their little revelation.

 

 “Danny, it’s all right. Catherine said Steve is the same way. She’s missing having girl time, too. In fact we are trying to plan a day for us, maybe get Lelani and Sabrina to go, too. A real girl’s day.. Maybe make it a once a month thing.”

 

 He knew Gabby meant well, that all the girls did. Gabby  had a way of going above and beyond to show Danny how much she cared. That was when she was in town, of course. And it wasn’t that he didn't miss hanging out with the guys, who all seemed to be moving on with their own relationships, because he did. It was the simple fact that he missed Steve and what could have been. Even though that was so farfetched considering there could never have been anything between him and his straight best friend.

           

“Is that it? Is that what’s bothering you? Or is there something else you want to tell me?” her large brown eyes weighed heavy on him with her question.

           

There was no cat-like grace in the way Danny got to his feet. Not with one stiff knee trying to lockup as he tried to avoid the pile of broken glass.  Danny watched Gabby closely as he guided her over to the kitchen table. She was much more perceptive than he gave her credit for.  This could be a problem for him in the long run.

           

“I had a disturbance here at the house on Wednesday,” Danny admitted once they were seated. “A girl connected to an old case left some weird occult stuff on my front porch. I ran into her earlier that day in Chinatown and she found out roughly where I live and came here that night to deliver her message.”

 

 “Oh my god, Danny is it safe to be here? Is this person trying to hurt you?”

 

 “Do you seriously think I’d let you stay here if I thought she was dangerous?”

 

 “You’re walking around at three a.m. with a gun, Danny!”

 

Gabby had never really yelled like this before. Her hand stretched out toward the gun still sitting on the counter. There was a flush of angry pink in her tanned cheeks.

 

“She was trying to drop off the spirit of her dead brother. What I heard tonight was completely unrelated and I was just checking it out.”

 

“Her dead brother? As in his ghost? Why?”

 

“The only thing I can think of is she thinks his ghost belongs with me…because I’m the one who killed him.”

 

 Gabby’s shoulders slumped as the fight drained out of her. There was a look in her eyes that Danny hated. It was shock and horror which she was trying to quickly mask with understanding. He knew it was his fault. He never talked about the job with her, not in great detail anyway. He got all that out at work with his teammates and he didn’t want to bring it home. Danny didn’t want to repeat the same mistakes he’d made with Rachel. If Gabby didn’t know all the gruesome details then she wouldn’t worry as much.  At least that’s what Danny kept telling himself, while in the back of his mind he  knew he just preferred talking to Steve about the cases. Steve was who Danny felt more comfortable confiding in. Now was not the time to think about that so it was locked away with all the rest of the things Danny didn’t want to think about.

 

“I had to,” Danny started to explain. “It was during a case in Chinatown about six months ago.  . This guy, he had a gun on Chin.”

 

“It’s okay,” Gabby took his hand in hers. “You don’t need to explain yourself. I know you did what you had to do. But this woman is clearly disturbed and you don’t know what she is capable of doing.”

 

“We’re looking for her. She hasn’t gone home or  to work. We think she is with friends on the windward side. Maybe she thinks her spells have worked and she’s hiding from me. I don’t know.”

 

 “You don’t believe it worked, do you? That's not what you think you heard tonight right?”

 

Gabby was casting a skeptical eye down on him. Again, her perceptive side was picking up on things that Danny was trying to hide. Danny had mixed beliefs about a lot of things. He just knew  what he had experienced in life, but it was clear just in the way her brown eyes got cold and her jaw became hard at the idea of ghosts that she didn’t believe. Her spiritual beliefs hadn’t come up in conversation yet, not in any great detail. She was an anthropologist, a scientist, who mostly didn’t accept beliefs as  primitive  as spirits.

 

“No,” Danny wasn’t completely lying. He wasn’t sure what was happening to him or his home. “Let’s go back to bed, huh?”

           

Gabby conceded, but it was clear she was going to be keeping a close eye on him. All Danny wanted to do was hide under the covers until he could escape with the morning light. He needed to get out of the house and think. He needed fresh air and a clear perspective. But he wasn’t about to admit for one minute that he really needed was Steve.

 

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am very thankful to have had the editing done by 4thofFive
> 
> All other mistakes are my own
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sun couldn't rise fast enough that morning in Danny's opinion. He was just happy to have the night over with. He knew if he showed up at Steve's too earlier it would incite too many questions, but he couldn't stay in the house any longer. He made his excuses to a still half asleep Gabby and went for a drive.   
  
 Once he stopped hating Hawaii for all the wrong reasons he began to take in how amazing it was. On the job he only saw the darker side of O'ahu, which only furthered his disapproval of his new island home. But now on his days off, like today, he could see O'ahu the way everyone else did.  
  
 It was like he had never really seen colors before in New Jersey. Colors in Hawaii just seemed more alive. From the vibrant rainbows down to the rich green blades of grass, their hues were much more intense than back home. Everything was so much more vivid and strong; familiar and yet foreign to him.

That summed up Steve in a nut-shell for him when they met.  However, as the years passed Steve no was longer someone strange exotic, he became something quite the opposite. They became as close as two partners and friends could be. It was that closeness to Steve that had been one of the greatest and most tormenting things that had happened to Danny since he moved to Hawaii.

 After picking up a light breakfast of fresh fruit and yogurt parfaits he knew the big guy was fond of, Danny headed to Steve’s. He wasn't going to eat one of those abominations himself, but that was mostly because anything more than coffee just didn't seem like it would sit well in his stomach right now. He tried to grab a banana before he left, but all he could taste was gun powder and blood. It was only residual memories that were starting to come back to him from last night’s dream, but his stomach wasn't convinced.

 He still managed to be forty minutes early, which created a myriad of facial expressions from Steve. They ranged from pleasantly surprised to great concern. Danny didn’t think he would ever get over how pliable Steve’s face could be. Thankfully though, Steve never questioned why Danny was early but he was building up to it.

The sun had risen to its peak in the sky as Danny dropped down on to the sand, his board next to him. He had pushed himself hard all morning. Steve never took him anywhere where the waves were too challenging, but this certainly wasn't Waikiki Beach. Diamond Head beach had its swells, and Steve was the better surfer by far, but even he was getting a workout today. Danny knew that this wouldn’t go unquestioned either, just like his early morning arrival. Usually, Danny liked to keep surfing to a few good sets, then lunch and beer. Not going at it until every muscle in his body felt like it was on fire as he had done today.

 Danny looked out on to the water just in time to see Steve catching the next large wave. With a goofy smile, the trained killer looked perfectly at home out there on the tropical ocean. He was absolutely flawless, up until the last second when he leaned a little too far to the left and wiped out. Steve’s arms flailed around before he disappeared under the topaz water. He and his board popped up a second later and had Danny smiling and actually laughing. He couldn’t deny it to himself anymore, he needed this.

 Steve finally made it to the beach, breathing hard and looking far too appealing in his red board shorts. Water dripped down Steve’s skin, blatantly showcasing for Danny every perfect line on Steve’s damn body.

 Danny looked up at him, squinting in the light and still laughing, “Gnarly, brah!”

 Steve rolled his eyes and flopped down beside Danny, “Whatever. You wouldn’t have even attempted that wave.”

 “Because I knew the  result would be face planting in the ocean, as you so dramatically  did,” Danny said slapping Steve’s arm with the back of his hand.

 They both sat there quietly, watching the waves break in front of them while Steve rested. There were several other surfers out that day and there seemed to be more tourist arriving..

 “So, you want to tell me what this is all about?” Steve asked after a long pause.

 Danny took a deep breath before turning to look up at Steve, “What do you mean?”

 “Really?” Steve replied, seemingly too tired to deal with him. “You showed up at my house nearly an hour early – on your day off – looking like you’ve been up for hours. You brought me breakfast. Then you’ve been killing yourself, and me, out here all morning. We’ve been out here for four hours. Now, are you going to make me guess or are you just going to tell me what’s going on?”

“I had a rough night,” Danny drew his knees up, resting his hands on them as casually as he could and not like he was about to start to rock back and forth at any moment like a scared child.

 Steve shook his head, “Everything seemed fine at dinner. Did you and Gabby get into a fight?”

 “No. Not exactly.”

 Danny met Steve’s eyes. They looked concerned and willing to drag the information out of Danny if he stalled any longer.

“Things happened last night. I just…I don’t know, Steve…I think I’m just going crazy.”

 Loud laughter startled both of them. A group of young tourist were coming down the beach near them. Danny fidgeted in the sand. This was not the place to have a break down about his strange, miserable life.  Steve knew without words what his partner was thinking and simply tugged on Danny’s elbow until they both got to their feet.

 “I’m beat and starved. Let’s go back to the house and throw something on the grill. We’ll talk after we get something to eat, huh?”

 “Yeah. Okay,” Danny replied, scrambling to get his board.

 They retreated from the public beach in favor of Steve’s private one.  Danny blessed Steve for keeping things light on the drive home and during lunch. They bantered about surfing techniques, driving styles, and grilling preferences. They showered and ate, moving around each other like they did this every Saturday. They settled in on the sofa to watch a baseball game Steve had recorded. Danny was resting on Steve's couch and again found himself giving into the security of being with Steve. His body was exhausted, he felt safe, and that meant sleep was threatening.

 Steve shifted in his seat and it was all the warning Danny needed to know that they were about to resume their previous conversation. It  scared him a bit that he could read Steve so easily, even slight body movements when he wasn’t  looking directly at Steve.

 “Danny,” Steve said, quietly. "Are you sure you don't want something else to eat?"

"No, I'm full."

"You hardly ate at all," he practically whined. "You love my steaks."

 Danny rolled his head from where it was pleasantly resting on the back of the sofa to look over at Steve. Steve’s 'worried-and-must-fix-it' face was out and in full force.

 “Talk to me. Come on,” Steve urged.

 "Yeah," Danny swallowed hard. “You got hear me out though, okay?”

 “Okay,” Steve nodded.

 “I really don’t know what to say, Steve,” Danny shrugged. “I don’t know what happened. I don’t know how to explain it without sounding completely insane.”

 “Just start at the beginning,” Steve turned slightly to face Danny a bit better.

 With a heavy sigh Danny said, “It started with another dream last night and it had me up at three again.”

 “Same dream?”

 “I think so. I just remembered the gun and…just how I felt.”

 Danny wasn’t about to go into to exactly how he felt in that dream and thankfully Steve didn’t ask.

 “That’s when I started to hear…something. I think it was a man’s voice. The more I listened the more it sounded like Hawaiian…chanting or whatever,” Danny waved his hand at the ridiculousness of what he was saying, but Steve still hung on every word. “I checked it out. Found nothing.”

 “You think Ryna got some help? Like they were trying to do more rituals or something?” Steve shrugged and his brow was creased with intense thought. Danny could almost see the wheels turning in his Steve’s mind.

 “I don’t know. I don’t think so, because…this is where things started getting weird. As I checked the house and outside, the volume and direction of the voice never changed, like it was all around just me, or in my head. Shit, I don’t know maybe it was.”

 Danny laughed as he realized how crazy he was sounding. He leaned forward, rubbing his face with his hands before he rested his arms on his legs.

 “And Gabby was there? She knows?” Steve asked gently.

 “Yeah. I had to tell her everything when she found me on the kitchen floor next to a broken glass. I didn’t tell her about the voice or what else happened last night, but I did tell her about Ryna.”

 “Okay, back up,” Steve squeezed Danny’s shoulder briefly. “Broken glass? What now?”

 Danny ran his now sweating palms over his thighs, “I went to the kitchen and the voice stopped. I assumed it must be the guy next door just being a freak, or maybe I'm the freak. I got some water and I put the glass in the sink! I put that damn glass in the sink I know I did, Steve!”

 Steve jumped back a little, and Danny realized it was because he was yelling and had his finger pointed in Steve’s face. Steve placed his hand  on Danny’s back and rested its warm, firm presence between his shoulders.

 Danny swallowed the lump in his throat and dropped his hand. “I went to go back to bed and the glass broke. It somehow came up out of the sink and on to the floor. But that’s impossible, how does that happen?”

Danny started laughing pitifully while Steve continued to look at him with great concern.

“I heard a woman, Steve. She whispered in my ear about there always being a mess. Then I fell right on my ass.  That’s how much it scared me and when I turned I saw her –  the woman.”

“There was a woman in your house? Ryna?” Steve sat up straighter, his hand moving to grab Danny’s bicep.

 “No, it was some old woman, but it really wasn’t her…or all of her just her face, or an outline of her face in blue smoke. It was only a second before Gabby turned the light on and it faded away. . Fuck, Steve what’s happening to me? If Rachel finds out…God, Steve what am I going to do?”

It was all hitting him at once, and he couldn't face Steve, not without completely losing what resolve he had left. He kept his focus on the coffee table, praying Steve would believe him, or at least be understanding. To his surprise, Steve’s firm hand rubbed across his shoulders in a soothing fashion. Steve wasn't pushing Danny away or dismissing him, he was trying to comfort him.

 “Danny, look at me. Please.”

 It took a few seconds to summon the courage but Danny reluctantly did.

“I can tell you are really messed up over this. So I’m not going to ask if you could have been asleep or sleepwalking...”

“I wasn’t!”

 “I said I wasn’t going to ask that! I was going to say I believe you!”

 Danny jerked his head back in surprise and shut his mouth tightly.

 “What?” Steve shrugged. “I believed you before when you saw that old woman who was killed in the elevator. Remember? When we were moving you into that apartment, the one where you really worked over the landlady because our vic died in the apartment?”

 “Yes, I remember,” he said bitterly. “And lesson learned.”

 “Why would you think I wouldn't believe you now?”

“It’s not that I didn’t think you wouldn’t believe me, Steve. It’s just that this is different. This isn’t me seeing something one time somewhere. This is happening in my home, in my head. What if that’s the whole thing – it is all in my head? What if I’m losing my mind?”

 “Danny, you’re not crazy,” Steve shifted closer to him. “Do you remember when I told you about my dad? Seeing him?”

 Danny recognized that tone of doubt in Steve's voice. They had had a conversation the night Steve was almost gunned downed by that sniper with hooks for hands, and bullets with Steve’s name on them. Steve just hadn’t been acting right, he was too happy. Danny finally got him out by the beach with some beer. Steve admitted he saw his father and the two fallen officers earlier that day. Danny had nodded and patted Steve on the back, agreeing that Steve’s dad would be proud of him. Danny believed Steve whole heartedly then, but it was still hard for Steve to admit it happened. Though hearing those words from his father had meant the world to Steve.

 “Well that wasn’t the first time something like that had happened to me,” Steve continued. “When you and I first met, my life was a little…”

 “Screwed up,” Danny finished for him.

 “Okay,” Steve smiled softly. “Yeah. I just lost Freddie, Dad, and then I’m suddenly dropped back home, and into civilian life. I thought I was going crazy. It was after you came back from your weekend with Grace at the Kahuala Hotel. You stormed into my office like you owned it.”

 Danny actually smiled at the memory of that. It had been a good weekend, despite the guilt he felt for taking the expensive gift of a hotel get-a-way, complete with dolphin experience, from Steve. Danny also remembered how much he hated that he was beginning to like his pain-in-the-ass Navy SEAL partner.

 “I was trying to hang a picture on the wall in my office when you started ranting,” Steve laughed. “about how amazing it was and how grateful you were, but that it was not going to be a thing. You were not to be shot or shot at on a regular basis, and if you were then I was not expected to give you expensive or lavish gifts in order to keep you in Five-0. Then you just blew back out of my office and into your own. I’d never been around someone as boisterous as you before, so I just stood there for a moment dumbstruck. Then I heard a voice in my ear. It was a laugh. Freddie’s laugh. He said ‘I like that one’.  I turned around and in the glass of the picture I was hanging – I swear to god, Danny – I saw him. I saw Freddie standing by the door. His arms crossed and shaking his head like he used too. He was telling me he approved of you.”

 Danny didn’t know what to say. He just stared at Steve without the ability to block how he was feeling from showing on his face. He remembered that day, because after his rant Steve didn’t leave his office for an hour. Danny had wondered if he had done something wrong, but after that hour Steve all but ran into Danny’s office demanding they go out and get lunch for everyone. To think Freddie, someone so important to Steve, approved of Danny as a partner for Steve meant so much to Danny.

 “Danny, there have been times, a  couple times, overseas, that I’ve seen things, in old ancient places or deep in the jungle, things that weren’t really happening – not in this realm anyway. I’ve seen people think they were going crazy because of voices and sounds that only they could hear. It’s real, Danno.”

 “You really don’t believe this is in my head?”

 “I don’t think you’re crazy,” Steve said. “If you are, then I am.”

 “Well you are,” Danny laughed a little hysterically and Steve joined him.

“I’m going to come over to your house. Maybe I will see or hear what you’re experiencing. Help you get some validation.”

“You’d do that?”

 “You have to ask?”

 Steve almost looked insulted and it warmed Danny’s heart. It felt so good to talk about this to someone. It felt even better to have that someone believe him.

 “We’ll get through this together. Partners, right?”

 Steve tugged Danny close into a half hug, trying to get a smile out of Danny. He got one and a wilting heap of a blond detective who melted into his embrace. Danny was unable to hide anything right now. His head lulled onto Steve’s chest as he took in a shaky breath.

 “I’m here, Danny,” Steve said, bringing his other arm around to wrap around Danny.

 “Steve, I-”

 The front door opened up so suddenly that it had Steve protectively blocking Danny, who was still wrapped in his arms.

 “Hey, guys,” Catherine said warmly.

 Danny cringed. He didn’t need this right now. Now Miss Perfect was here, and Danny suddenly felt inadequate and foolish. He pulled away from Steve and shifted to the far corner of the couch. Steve’s headed swiveled back and forth between his two guests. Danny felt bad for the socially awkward guy.

 “Am I interrupting something?” Catherine asked, slowly walking over to the guys.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> He still managed to be forty minutes early, which created a myriad of facial expressions from Steve. They ranged from pleasantly surprised to great concern. Danny didn't think he would ever get over how pliable Steve’s face could be. Thankfully though, Steve never questioned why Danny was early but he was building up to it.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danny and Steve didn’t say anything. Catherine laughed nervously, her smile showing all of her perfect white teeth. She looked apprehensively at both men as if waiting for them to confirm to her that things of the paranormal weren’t really being considered. Danny wanted nothing more than to do that for her, but he couldn’t.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continuing thanks to 4thofFive for the great working editing this story.
> 
> All other mistakes are my own.
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Uh, what are you doing here? I thought you were working today?”

 

Steve stumbled over his words as he got to his feet. He was using his body like a shield to block Danny from her view. .

 

 “Things wrapped up early, but we have an early morning Monday and I’ll probably be busy most of the week so I thought I’d stop by. I was just so excited to tell you about this new project I’m working on.. I’m sorry. I know I should have called.”

 

After leaving Five-O, Catherine had gotten another job with a security firm and had proven herself invaluable. Working long hours and in dangerous situations seemed to be her forte. It was yet another thing that the couple had in common.

 

 “It’s fine. It’s just…” Steve looked back to Danny.

 

 “Are you okay, Danny? It’s not that crazy woman again?" Catherine asked weaving past Steve.

 

 “You told her?” Danny stood up now and glared at Steve.

 

 “I told her about what happened Wednesday?” Steve held his hands up defensively.

 

 “What happened Wednesday?” Catherine repeated resting her hands on her hips, “meaning that something else has happened since?”

 

 “Nothing. Just…It’s nothing,” Danny replied..

                                                                                                      

 “You don’t look like nothing's happened. Gabby said you had trouble sleeping last night.”

 

 “Great,” Danny grumbled. “Now the women are talking about me losing my mind.”

 

 “No, Danny,” Catherine assured him. “Why would you think that? I mean you don’t actually think this girl is really passing off her brother’s ghost on you?”

 

 Danny and Steve didn’t say anything. Catherine laughed nervously, her smile showing all of her perfect white teeth. She looked apprehensively at both men as if waiting for them to confirm to her that things of the paranormal weren’t really being considered. Danny wanted nothing more than to do that for her, but he couldn’t.

 

 “Cath, Danny and I were…we don’t know what’s going on.”

 

 Danny clapped his hands together loudly and said, "I think I'm going to take off now."

  
 Both Catherine and Steve started to protest, but Danny was already moving. He needed to go out back and grab his still drying board shorts, but he was really thinking about leaving them at this point.

 

 “No, I didn’t mean to intrude. I’ll go,” Catherine said. "This was supposed to be your guy’s day and I totally forgot."

 

 “Wait,” Steve spoke to both.

 

He seemed torn  between both of them and Danny definitely didn’t want that.

 

 “I have to get ready to meet Gabby anyway,” Danny shrugged it off.

 

 “You’re not meeting her till after seven,” Steve said frustrated, but Danny was already headed to the back to get his shorts and his gym bag.

 

 He stopped in the kitchen when he heard harsh words being exchanged between the couple in the next room. There was a sick feeling in his stomach. As much as it hurt him to see Steve with Catherine he didn’t want them fighting because of him. Catherine was a great girl, hell she and Danny got along great. They obviously had a lot in common, especially their taste in men. But Danny’s main concern since Steve and Catherine's relationship had taken a slightly more serious turn was Steve getting hurt. Yes, Steve was a big boy, but Danny’s protective streak wasn’t something he could just turn off. Now he was making them fight and Danny needed to put an end to it. That was until he heard Catherine speak again.

 

 “I’ve heard what you guys say about him,” Catherine huffed. “That he’s a bit…dramatic.  A hypochondriac.”                                                                   
   

 “Obsessing over a bug bite that doesn’t look quite right to him and what is happening right now are not even in the same ballpark, Catherine,” Steve defended.

 

 “Come on, Steve. Ghosts? Seriously? I know you don’t believe in this crap. You’re just leading him on.”

 

 Danny leaned against the wall because his chest tightened up making it hard to breath. He had begun to think of Catherine as a friend. Someone who was going to be in his life, like it or not, and he hated himself for liking her. He hated himself for even questioning whether he should like her or not. He hated a lot of things about himself right now.

 

 “Whatever is going on with him, it’s real to him. I believe that and I’m going to find out what it is. That’s what partners do Catherine, they have each other’s backs no matter what.”

 

  “What if it is in his head, Steve?” Catherine asked quietly. “Are you going to do what needs to be done to get him the help he needs? Gabby is really worried.”

 

 “Yes,” Steve snapped. “But it’s not like that. And I would do anything for Danny, he’s my…he’s like my brother. I’m going to help him or get him the help he needs.”

 

 There was a burning sting of tears in Danny’s eyes and a twisting knife in his heart. Steve never told Catherine he believed Danny, or that he himself had seen things he couldn't explain. Had he lied? Had he said all those things to placate Danny until he found out whether or not he needed to call the men in the white jackets? Danny couldn’t tell for sure. He was too tired from lack of sleep, his body wrung out from their hard surfing session, and his mind was too jumbled with all the new information. But hearing Steve say he would get Danny the help he needs only conjured pictures of being sedated in a padded room.

 

 Gym bag in hand he straightened himself up, harden his expression, and decided he was going out with his head held high. They both stopped talking instantly when he walked into the living room. It was pointless for Danny to try to mask his hurt, but he did. Danny could tell by the way Steve’s face fell that he knew Danny had heard what they said.

 

 “Danny, stay. Let’s all talk about this,” Steve urged, moving toward him.

 

 “I’m good,” Danny faked a smile. “I got this, Steve. She’s probably right. I’m just being dramatic and you’re just placating me.”

 

 Steve reached out to grab Danny’s arm, but he jerked it away. Steve’s jaw was clenched so tightly that the large veins in his neck were protruding obscenely. Why Danny couldn't have just shut his damn mouth and left he didn’t know. He had a bitter streak, and it lashed out every now and again. This time he knew Catherine was going to suffer for it and he should feel sorry, and he did, but not as much as he should.

 

 “I’m not placating you,” Steve was officially yelling now.

 

 Danny shook his head, “Don’t listen to me. I talk a lot and say nothing. You know me. I'm just sleep deprived. Look, I’m going to head home and get some sleep before Gabby comes over. I’ll talk to you later.”

 

 “Tomorrow,” Steve said like it was an order. “Call me tomorrow.”

 

 “Yes, sir. I see anymore spooks I'll be sure and call you so you can call the psych ward and tell them to get a bed ready," Danny rolled his eyes as he slipped out the door.

 

 Before he had the door completely shut he heard Steve’s booming voice say, “Well I hope you’re happy.”

 

 Danny’s head dropped back against the door and he cursed himself. No one was happy and he only had himself to blame. Danny wanted to go in and fix things between them, but he just didn't have the stomach for it. Instead he drove off. He had plenty of daylight left and he hoped he could get some undisturbed sleep before Gabby came over.

 

 


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It doesn’t matter. Nothing matters now. I’m here, Danny,” Steve’s voice was low and his hand gripped Danny’s arms lightly. “I’m here. Now what do you want?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continuing thanks to 4thofFive for the great working editing this story.
> 
> All other mistakes are my own.
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Danny sat straight up in bed when he heard the front door slam. Looking to the clock, he saw he had slept the afternoon away. It was already 7 p.m.  Gabby must have let herself in and by the sound of things she wasn't too happy. He grabbed his phone and saw he had three missed calls from Steve.

 

 “Danny!” Steve yelled from the front of the house.

 

 Danny groaned. He didn’t want to deal with this, or the wave of nausea from sitting up so fast after being dead asleep but he couldn’t not answer Steve’s call. Steve was not a man to be ignored.

 

 “Back here,” Danny grumbled as he slowly got to his feet.

 

 Steve came through the bedroom door just as Danny stood up from the bed. He looked pissed as much as he did worried, carefully looking Danny over.

 

 “You didn’t answer your phone,” Steve said.

 

 “I was sleeping.”

 

 They stared at each other for a long moment. Both just breathing hard and becoming flush. Danny’s body felt heavy and useless under the weight of Steve’s eyes.

 

 “I didn’t want you to leave,” Steve took two steps toward him.

 

 “I didn’t mean to start a fight between you and Catherine.”

 

 Steve  shook his head and took two more steps. Only a small space separated them now. Danny felt frozen in place, his hands hanging like lead weights at his sides. There was a deep burning stare of intent in Steve’s eyes that made Danny feel like he could get lost in them.

 

 “It doesn’t matter. Nothing matters now. I’m here, Danny,” Steve’s voice was low and his hand gripped Danny’s arms lightly. “I’m here. Now what do you want?”

 

 “What…um…what are you doing?” Danny’s words were dying on his lips, nothing was making sense.

 

 “I’m trying to say,” Steve shrugged. “I’m here because I picked you. I want you. I love you, Danny.”

 

 Danny sucked in a shocked breath and Steve took that as an invitation. He dove in and kissed Danny hard, pulling Danny’s helpless body to him. Danny’s skin felt like it was on fire. He wanted to touch and paw at Steve like he was trying to crawl inside the man, but his hands wouldn't cooperate.

 

They kissed wildly until Steve pushed him back down onto the bed. Steve stripped off his clothes in record time and things started to get blurry for Danny. Steve’s hot mouth and hands were all over him until he found himself naked as well. Six feet of hard carved muscle was pressed down against him on the bed. Danny luxuriated in the clean scent of body wash lingering on Steve’s tan skin and the way Steve rolled his hips slowly against him.

 

 Danny limbs began to move more freely now. He shamelessly spread his legs farther  apart and wrapped them around Steve’s lower back, wanting him even closer.

 

 “Tell me, Danny. Tell me what you want from me,” Steve growled in his ear.

 

 “I want you. I’ve wanted this for so long, Steve.”

 

 “What? Tell me. I need to hear all the dirty, sweet, beautiful details. Talk to me, baby,” Steve crooned and Danny could come from that voice alone.

 

 His hands seemed to finally free themselves from their frozen state, allowing him to cling on to Steve’s back and hold on for dear life. The words poured from his mouth like water. Everything he had been holding back came rushing out of him and there was no stopping it.

 

 “I want you to fuck me, Steve. I wanna fuck you. I want it all. I want every inch of you at my disposal, and mine alone, at all times. I want to get you off in every way possible.”  
 

 “I want that, Danny. I want you so bad – right now. I don’t care about anything else, I just love you. Do you love me?”

 

 Steve’s breathing was labored as he rutted against Danny. Each snap of the hip used to punctuate his sentence.

 

 “I do,” Danny all but cried out as Steve bit his neck. “I love you so much, Steve. I’ve loved you for so long – years. You’re everything. I’ll give you anything. I just never dreamed you’d want this.”

 

Steve’s hips stilled and he started laughing. His face was pressed into the sheets next to Danny’s head as he continued to laugh. Danny’s eyes opened, confused by what just happened.

 

 “You’re so screwed, Detective,” Steve said, before giving Danny a quick kiss on the cheek.

 

 He sat up and Danny struggled to get up himself, but his body became  heavier and weaker for some reason. When he looked up at Steve ready to ask him what was going on, he was confronted with another man on top of him. Steve was no longer there, but a smiling, bloody Jason Awana was.

 

 “Your head is a screwed up place, Williams,” Jason laughed.

 

 Danny tried to scream and scramble away, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t move anything. All he could do was stare at the dead man looming over him.

 

“I’m going to take everything you love and destroyed it, pig."

 

Jason stared down at him with an eerily sweet smile on his face. Then in one fluid motion he raised his right arm brandishing a long and twisted knife. Everything in Danny told him to fight but his body was still frozen in place. Jason joined his hands together above his head and used them to slam the blade into Danny's chest. There was a sudden popping sound as well as an overwhelming pressure inside of Danny's chest cavity. It took his breath away as he look down at the blood that was already beginning to well up around the knife buried to the hilt in his flesh. There was a wet ripping sound as Jason pulled the knife out of Danny's chest. A geyser of blood shot out of Danny's wound like a crimson oil well.

 

 “Danny,” a soft voice called to him. “Danny.”

 

 Everything started fading to black. He could hear a man screaming and a woman’s insistent voice kept calling his name. She was panicked and scared. Danny realized the screams were his own and the woman was Gabby.

 

 He opened his eyes and found himself still in bed still  dressed in the t-shirt and shorts he had been wearing when he left Steve's house. Gabby was sitting next to him, her hands on his chest trying to hold him down. He was covered in sweat and his heart felt like it was trying to beat its way out of his rib cage, but it was still there and intact.

 

 “Gabby.” Danny mumbled.

 

He felt in total control of his body again. He pushed  himself to sit  up against the headboard simply because he could.

 

 “You were dreaming,” Gabby said agitated. “I came in and heard you talking. You were talking in your sleep and…well.”

 

 She waved her hand down at Danny’s crotch. When he followed her eyes, to his horror he found she could clearly see how hard he was through his shorts. Then the contents of the dream came flooding back and Danny suddenly felt ill again. Given how the dream had ended, he couldn't believe he was still hard. He blamed Jason Awana and whatever Awana had done to him in that nightmare.

 

 “What did I say?”

 

 Gabby shook her head and pulled her hands away from Danny.

 

 “All kinds of things. I couldn’t wake you. Then you just started screaming.”

 

 Gabby wouldn’t meet his eyes now. Danny wasn’t a fool; he knew he was in deep shit.

 

 “I’m sorry,” He mumbled.

 

 “Do you remember what you were dreaming about?” Gabby asked, almost accusingly.

 

 After a long pause, Danny said, “Yeah, for the most part.”

 

 Gabby frowned, “You were having sex.”

 

 “People have sex dreams, Gabby.”

 

 “With Steve!  Your best friend,” she snapped. “It was unreal. I heard all the things you wanted Steve to do to you. What he meant to you. That you love him.”

 

 “Gabby, listen-”

 

 “No, Danny,” she got up from the bed. “This is one of those stress-induced things. Your subconscious is finally making you come out.”

 

 Danny said nothing because after her doubt earlier, and Catherine basically saying he was mentally ill, how was he supposed to say a ghost set him up. However, he was fuming inside.

 

 “We’ve been spending more and more time together lately and it’s finally brought this out,” Gabby shrugged weakly. "Being in a steady relationship with a woman again has finally brought this out – brought you out so to speak."

 

"My subconscious isn’t trying to drag anything out of me. I know what I am," Danny grumbled.

 

"So, you liking men isn't anything new,just new to me?" Gabby asked with a sadder tone to her voice.

 

 “This is ridiculous. It was a dream,” Danny said, getting to his feet. "Yes, I am bi and Steve is Steve. Have you seen him? Tell me you haven't had...impure thoughts about him."

 

 “I’m not stupid, Danny,” she said pitifully. “I’ve seen you two. I know what you two have been through – well partially. The parts you’ve told me about. I can only imagine the horrors you’ve kept from me. I know you think you were protecting me, or whatever chauvinistic bullshit reasons you had. But there is something there between you two, I know it. Am I wrong?”

 

 “No, but…it’s not like that.”

 

 “Not yet.”

 

 “Gabby,” Danny didn’t know what to do. “I was having another dream and I was screaming at the end because Jason Awana was there. He was laughing then he stabbed me. He was setting me up. He made me-”

 

 “Wait!” Gabby held her arm out to put space between them. “Are you blaming a ghost? Are you really going to say a ghost made you have gay feelings about your partner? Really, Danny?”

 

 “When you say it like that it sounds insane!”

 

 “Really!”

 

"How is this happening to me?" Danny yelled at the ceiling before looking back to her. "I’ve never had a dream like that before! That fucked up.”

 

 “You’ve never had a sex dream about Steve?”

 

 “Gabby,” he groaned and started to pace.

 

 “Answer me! Do you have feelings for Steve beyond the platonic?”

 

 Danny stopped and turned to face her. His hands lifted up then fell back down at his sides.

 

"Gabby, I...you don't understand," Danny was floundering. "Fine. I...uh...yeah. Yes."

 

 Tears started to fill her eyes and she pressed her lips together tightly. It was clear she was seconds away from breaking down if she didn’t pull herself together. Danny stood stock still and silently waited.

 

 “You son of a bitch,” She muttered. “All this time you’ve been with me, when you’ve really wanted him. That’s not fair, to me or Steve. What about Catherine?”

 

 “I don't know! There’s nothing I can do. Steve loves Catherine. That’s the way it is. That’s the way it should be.”

 

 “And what? I’m second best?”

 

 “No! This is not…Gabby can we please just take a breath and start this whole conversation over.”

 

 “No, Danny,” She shook her head, a tear rolling down her cheek. “I can’t….I can’t do this when your heart's not completely in it. I’ve put up with a lot – our jobs, Rachel – but I won’t just be a fill in because you can’t be with the person you’re really in love with.”

 

 Danny sat back down on the bed.  There was no point fighting it when she was right. Gabby deserved better than that anyway.

 

As he watched she gathered up a few of the  things she had at Danny’s and loaded them in her car. Danny begged her to keep all of this to herself. She agreed to keep his secret for now. But if Gabby was angry enough and she got Catherine involved they could easily tear Danny apart and end up ruining his friendship with Steve. And all because of a dream. A dream that Danny knows was much more than a normal dream, or at least he thinks he does.

 

 Danny wasn’t tired any longer. He had basically passed out after he had gotten home and after that dream he was in no hurry to see what else Jason had in store for him next. He needed to get out of there for the night. He scrolled through his phone for possibilities. Steve was definitely out.  Danny was still too embarrassed to face him, not to mention Catherine might still be there. Looking at his options, he decided on someone who may be just the right person for the job. He fired off a text and got his things together. Once his request was accepted his drove off.

 

 Danny arrived a few minutes later. He knocked on the door and waited nervously for it to finally open.

 

 Like a breath of fresh air, warm air that smelt like banana bread, Danny was faced with the one woman he knew he could trust. The only woman on the island he knew he could go to for anything, because she was like his little sister.

 

 “Thanks, Kono.”

 

 “Sure, Danny,” she gave him a worried smile. “But I want details.”

 

 “Well then I need alcohol.”

 

 “Park it on the sofa, braddah. I’ll get the drinks,” she said, before breezing off into the kitchen.

 

 Danny collapsed down onto her sofa. It wasn’t the same sense of security  he felt at Steve’s, but it still felt good. It felt safe, like being with family. Now if he could explain himself to a woman without her thinking he was crazy or looking for an excuse to hide his inner homosexuality he’d really be somewhere.

 

 


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Please, say something. Anything,” Danny begged.
> 
>  
> 
> “Wow,” Kono said, before finishing her beer. “That…that’s something.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to the 4thofFive for all the editing work.
> 
> All other mistakes are my own
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 After the initial shot of whiskey, and three beers later, Kono sat next to Danny on the sofa silently pondering his story. Danny had laid it all out there for her. Once he started talking he couldn’t stop. She had jumped in with a few brief questions, but basically he had told his story in its entirety from the time he ran into Ryna until the moment he ended up at her door.

 

 “Please, say something. Anything,” Danny begged.

 

 “Wow,” Kono said, before finishing her beer. “That…that’s something.”

 

 “You think I’m crazy, too?”

 

 “No,” Kono shook her head and twisted in her seat to face him. “I’ve told you before Chin and I have relatives who swear they’ve seen the Night Marchers. I’ve experienced things before Danny. I’m a spiritual kinda gal myself. Plus, I trust you. If you say this is happening then I believe you.”

 

 Danny let out a big breath of air and turned to face her on the sofa as well. He bent one leg up to mirror her position on the sofa and rested his arm on the back of the cushions.

 

 “But Steve?” She giggled slightly. “That was a little unexpected, I mean not really, but I didn’t expect it to come out that way. I knew it was a matter of time, or at least I hoped it was.”

 

 “Are you seriously bumping on the Steve thing right now?” Danny scowled. “I’m talking about the afterlife being out to get me and you are talking about my...whatever I have for Steve.”

 

 Kono’s eyes became wide and bright, “So you do have feelings for Steve?”

 

Danny groaned and rubbed his hand over his face before grabbing his beer for another drink.

 

 “Oh come on, Danny!”

 

 “Fine! Whatever! Yes, and this ghost, spirit, or whatever Jason is now – pain in my ass – is using my feelings for the big dope against me. And it got Gabby to dump me.”  
 

 Kono patted Danny on the leg sympathetically while Danny got himself together.

 

 “There’s nothing I can do about it anyway. I certainly can't tell him that part. Steve’s straight. Steve is straight, my best friend, and my boss. There are so many lines I would be crossing. Not to mention what I could risk losing if he found out.”

 

 “Well for one thing, boss man isn’t a bigot. He isn’t going to care if you're…bi?” Kono arched her eyebrows in question.

 

Danny nodded and added an eye roll.

 

 “Okay, bi. But you can’t live your life following him around, in love with him, never giving him a chance to love you back.”

 

 “Okay, drunkie, what part of Steve is straight did you not catch? Or did you not notice how female Catherine is?”

 

 “Rachel and Gabby are females, too,” Kono argued tilting her head. “Besides, you have to see what I see, what the rest of the HPD sees. That Steve cares about you more than you think.”

 

 “Yes, of course he does. I'm partnered with an emotionally screwed up ape with abandonment issues and no sense of personal boundaries. And yeah, he has a big heart and is loyal to a fault, but Steve doesn’t remotely act like he is into guys.”

 

 “Neither do you. I would never have guessed,” Kono laughed. “Well…except now that I think about it. You do put a lot of work into your hair, your slacks couldn’t be any tighter – not that I'm complaining – and those socks...”

 

 Danny looked down to where Kono was pointing at his purple socks with the white spots. Grace had gotten them for him as a birthday present last year. He had to admit he and his daughter were starting to fight for space in the bathroom for their hair care products and the laundry basket was always lacking in plain white socks, but he thought that was just them.

 

 “Are you sure you’re not just totally gay?” Kono laughed.

 

 “Kono Kalukaua, now you’re just perpetuating stereotypes!”

 

 Danny couldn’t help it, he laughed with her.

 

 She pushed on his arm playfully, “I’m just messing with you. I’m really glad you came to me and that we can talk about this stuff.”

 

 “Me too," Danny smiled to his friend. "Now that I’m single,if I ever date a guy again…”

 

 “Like Steve,” Kono butted in.

 

 “…you will have to be there for me." Danny rolled his eyes, but kept on talking. "It’s been so long I don’t know what I’m doing anymore.”  
 

 Kono scoffed and waved him off, “It’s like riding a bike, or maybe a pogo stick .”

 

 “Oh wow!” Danny laughed again. “I think we are getting buzzed.”

 

 “I think so.”

 

 “All this talk isn’t helping my paranormal issues.”

 

 “Right,” Kono sighed. “We need to see what’s going on in that house. Get some proof- for your sake. Then see if we can find someone who can get rid of Jason.”

 

 “Steve wanted to come over and help with that.”

 

 “Good. I’ll do some research on ghost hunting. But Chin knows some Kahunas. They will be the ones who will be able to come and do a blessing on the house.”

 

 Danny groaned and sank back onto the sofa.

 

 “Chin’s ohana, brah,” Kono shook Danny’s arm, “We don’t have to tell him about Steve, yet. But he has the connections to the people who could help you. But later, you will need to deal with Steve."

 

"Yeah, well what about Catherine? I thought she was ohana, too?" Danny asked bitterly. "She loves him and I'm just supposed to try to bust up a relationship? Remember Rach was going to leave Stan for me, look how that turned out."

 

There was a drop in Kono's enthusiasm but Danny could see her resolve was still strong. He learned long ago Kono that was a mission-driven woman. When she went after something she didn't stop until she accomplished her goals.

 

"Catherine is my friend and I care for her dearly," Kono said seriously. "I know it's complicated but Danny I know if you don't follow your heart on this you will regret it for the rest of your life. The 'what if's' will haunt you."

 

"Haunt me?" Danny's eyebrows arched up.

 

"Bad choice of words but you know what I mean. Let's focus on getting Chin up to speed and we'll figure out the rest later."

 

 “Okay. Okay. Just as long as the whole Steve sex dream is left out. I’m not ashamed of being bi. Actually, I think Chin already figured that out after he helped me move one time a year or so ago," Danny was getting red with embarrassment at the memory already. "I was having trouble with my laptop and he offered to help. It was late and he said there was no need to call Toast. Turned out I got a virus and Chin may have come upon some material on my computer while he was removing said virus."

 

"Oh no," Kono suppressed a laugh as she put the evidence together in her mind.

 

"Very specific adult material that left little to the imagination on my preferences," Danny groaned. "I was humiliated and stumbled around with my words, but he just shrugged it off and kept going. He just smiled and said 'to each his own, brah.' Can you believe that?"

 

"That's just..." Kono smiled fondly. "Chin."

 

 “Okay. Let’s see what we can do to prove I’m not insane.”  
 

"Okay," Kono nodded seriously, "Hey, Danny?"

 

"Yeah."

 

"Were they Navy boys?" Kono leered at him, "In the porno that infected  your computer?"

 

Kono’s lips quirked up in a smile that she tried to hide behind the rim of her beer bottle as she took another drink. Danny tried to scowl at her and almost started another rant but the booze, and the faith she had in him, made him feel too good to bitch. Plus, she may have been right, but he wasn't going to tell her that. So Danny just started to laugh and for the first time since this started, he felt a little bit more in control of his life.

 

 


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Gabby just breaks up with you over one sex dream she wasn't in?" Chin asked. "I mean how vocal were you? You must have said something really wrong."
> 
>  
> 
> "Have you met, Danny?" Kono teased, but really she was trying to redirect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The editing work done by 4thofFive. All other errors are my own.
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The night had slipped away easily. Danny slept peacefully in Kono's spare bedroom but despite his good night's rest, Danny felt like complete shit in the morning. He really shouldn't have drunk last night, but it wasn't a hangover he was feeling. His body was tired and sore in ways he couldn't explain, like he had gone a few rounds in the ring the day before. He also woke up with the full weight of what had happened with Gabby and what might be  waiting for him at home pressing down on him.

 

He dragged  his lead weights for feet out to the kitchen where he found Chin, Kono, and Max already gathered around Kono’s computer  on the table. Luckily for them coffee had been made, allowing Danny to deal with hashing through his story yet another time.

 

"So, that's it!" Danny said after completing his tale, rubbing his hands across Kono's table. "Every sordid  detail of what's happened."

 

That was it, minus the star of the sex dream, which Danny still deemed wasn't an important fact at this time.

 

"Gabby just breaks up with you over one sex dream she wasn't in?" Chin asked. "I mean how vocal were you? You must have said something really wrong."

 

"Have you met, Danny?" Kono teased, but really she was trying to redirect.

 

"Good point," Chin agreed.

 

"Without getting into the details of the dream, like I said I wouldn't," Danny replied. "Apparently everything I said in the dream I said aloud, and it was just as real and vivid as all the other dreams since this started – like it was really happening. And at the end instead of…wellit was Jason and not the person I was originally having sex with. He was laughing and telling me I was in deep shit, you know before he stabbed me to death.  And he was right. Gabby was just done with it. But even before that I was in deep shit. I caused a fight between Steve and Catherine. I don't even know if he believes me or not."

 

"Of course he does," Kono gave Danny a reassuring squeeze on the arm.

 

"Detective Williams, you said you had this sex dream in the early evening?" Max asked in his usual robotic manner.

 

"Yeah," Danny nodded.

 

"But the others had you waking up around 3 a.m.?”

 

"Yes, Max. Why? "Danny groaned not wanting to repeat himself.

 

"At first when Lieutenant Kelly sent me the information on your predicament, what I saw was evidence of either someone who was very inexperienced or someone playing a practical joke. Clearly Ryna Awana doesn't know what she is doing. Then upon hearing your experiences I began to wonder if something much more serious was going on. The fact that you are waking up at 3 a.m. is troubling."

 

"Why? I don't understand?" Danny sat up a little straighter in his seat.

 

"Traditionally that is known as the witching hour. It is something used to mock the Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  I am still a man of science, but this is a time that has been known to produce the strongest paranormal activity, for whatever reason. "

 

"So you think it's legit because my ghost follows some paranormal time clock rule?" Danny growled.

 

"Yes. Also from what I've been told you are experiencing all the classic haunting phenomena such as disembodied voices, temperature changes, and apparitions. You also make an excellent witness because you are shrewd, skeptical, hypercritical… "

 

"Yeah, I get it," Danny cut him off.

 

"There is something else that is becoming concerning. I do believe that this spirit, if it is Jason Awana, is getting stronger."

 

There was a knowing glance exchanged between the cousins over the table. Clearly, there had been earlier conversation about this before Danny had got up this morning. Danny hated being out of the loop.

 

"I'm going to text Steve," Kono spoke up. "He needs to be a part of this."

 

"Kono," Danny sighed. "Don't force him. He's probably still making up with Catherine."

 

"Text him," Chin nodded.

 

"Okay, I don't get a say," Danny put his hands up in the air.

 

"Max, let's start some breakfast while we wait on Steve," Chin said getting up from the table. "I think all of us could use something to eat."

 

Danny was still worried about the fight he had  when he left the McGarrett residence, but Kono sent a text anyway. Thirty minutes later a wide-eyed and anxious Steve was at Kono’s door.

 

 “What’s all this?” Steve asked as he let himself in.

 

 “We’re trying to help Danny with his problem,” Chin said from the stove, waving him over with the spatula. "Max has some information, but we wanted you to be here when we talked to Danny about it."

 

"Because I'm some delicate flower that apparently cannot handle this news without you or Chin Ho Kelly's blueberry pancakes," Danny grumbled, as he took a bite.

 

"I made eggs, Commander," Max smiled. "Please, come eat."

 

They couldn't bullshit Danny. He was the king of bullshit back in his day. He invented the game. They were forcing food down his throat for some reason. They were creating this warm bubble of team spirit, drowning it in syrup, just before they popped it and told Danny he was screwed, that he and Jason would be stuck with each other for all eternity.

 

Kono was on the phone in the other room and Max and Chin were getting their own plates ready leaving Danny with Steve. Why Danny felt nervous all of a sudden was beyond him. Now that other people were finding out how he felt about Steve it made him feel exposed, like it was written on his forehead in red Sharpie. Or maybe it was the fact that his deepest feelings were known to a dead person who already helped expose the truth to Gabby.

 

 “Hey,” Danny said as Steve took a seat next to him.

 

 “Hey. You stay here last night?” Steve asked.

 

 “Uh, yeah. How’d you know?”

 

 “Bed head,” Steve pointed to Danny’s hair.

 

 Danny hadn’t gone through his whole morning process yet. His hair was in its more natural wild and fluffy state, rather than its  usual composed, slicked back style. Steve must have recognized it from when they bunked together at Steve’s house. Something in that pulled at Danny’s heart.

 

 “Why?” Steve asked.

 

 “Things got a little complicated last night with Gabby and I. We had a big fight.”

 

 “And you left your own house?” Steve seemed angry. “That’s insane."

 

 “I had another nightmare. She couldn’t take it anymore. Frankly, neither could I. We both ended up leaving. So I came to bother Kono.”

 

 “You could have called me,” Steve said, quietly.

 

 “I figured I caused enough trouble for you and Catherine. Besides it sounded like I may have been overwhelming you with my shit.”

 

Danny noticed the way Steve tensed up at the mention of Catherine’s name. Clearly more had  happened between them after Danny left.

 

"No, Danny," Steve said gripping the back of Danny's neck. "I'm sorry about yesterday. I should have just told Catherine I've seen things before too, but I just...we never talked about it before. I'm just sorry, Danny.  But I believe you. I do. I just...I don't know how to help you or how to fight this. I certainly  didn't know how to handle things yesterday....but I didn't want you to go."

 

Danny dropped his fork on the plate with a loud clatter, "What?"

 

Jason's sick version of Steve came thundering back to Danny. He remembered that dream so vividly as if it had really happened. Every kiss, every touch, every confession, was all Danny had every wanted and it was nothing but a sick lie. Now Steve was repeating lines from Jason's fucked up play. Danny was afraid he was going to throw up.

 

"I didn't - I didn't want you to go like that."

 

 “Okay, I just got off the phone with Toast – who by the way must never have a woman call him,” Kono said, coming back into the room. “He’s going to get us all the recording equipment we need from the store.”

 

 “Our computer at HQ can analyze the footage, but he has experience with this stuff," Chin added as he and Max joined them at the table.

 

 “Great,” Danny grimaced. “Oh I love having Toast in on this.”

 

 “He’s been in a paranormal investigation group for years, Danny,” Chin said. “We need that.”

 

 “What’s going on?” Steve asked again.

 

 “We’re trying to figure out what kind of equipment we need to help get some proof to validate what’s going on with, Danny,” Kono said.

 

 “Then we are going to try to use that to figure out how to get rid of this,” Chin said.

 

 Steve looked down at Danny who could only smile innocently up at him. There was an operation in motion and Steve wasn’t at the helm of it. Danny knew Steve wouldn’t be too happy about that. But to his surprise instead of being angry or insisting on taking over, Steve was the opposite. He sat there like a good soldier, taking everything in and trying hard to make sense of it in his brain.

 

 “You still wanted to help me gather some proof, right?” Danny tapped Steve on the arm. “They were going to get the stuff and you and I could stage a paranormal stakeout.”

 

 “Oh yeah, sure, Danny. Whatever it takes. I’m here.”

 

Steve seemed to perk up at the idea of a being put to a task.

 “Thanks, babe,” Danny smiled. “Thanks all of you, really. But I believe we are all gathered here because Max has more information about how much more amazing my life is going to become."

 

Max shifted in his seat and nodded to Kono, "I looked into Jason Awana."

 Kono pulled out her laptop again and opened it up in front of Danny and Steve. They were being shown pictures of tattoos; strange black tattoos that were crudely done years ago, if the fading ink was any indication. Danny's heart began to clench at the images depicted in those tattoos – a flaming pentagrams\ with a goat's head inside it, an upside down cross dripping with blood, and the numbers 666.

 

"Let me guess, this is Awana's body?" Danny asked looking away.

 

Chin closed the pictures on the laptop as Max started to speak again.

 

"Yes, clearly at some point he was into the occult if not Satanism. I would have just attributed this to adolescent rebellion but one large pentagram in particular has a scripture written in Latin below it and it is a passage featured in the satanic bible."

 

"Fantastic," Danny laughed cynically.

 

"The what?" Steve asked. "You're serious?

 

"Seems like he was heavy in to this stuff," Chin said. "Also, we wanted to know if this is what Ryna Awana looked like to you Danny?"

 

Chin brought up a grainy driver's license picture belonging to Ryna. However, Danny could hardly believe this was the same girl he had just met a few days ago. At one time she had a lovely heart-shaped face with a healthy caramel-colored complexion; unlike the sunken hollow shell of a woman Danny had encountered. She was smiling in the picture, looking as though she didn't have a care in the world. This was not the woman Danny had met, at least she wasn't anymore.

 

"That's her, I guess, but she's really gone downhill."

 

"That's what I was afraid of," Max said as Kono took the computer away. "Did she look thin, pale and wasted to you?"

 

"All the above."

 

"When was the last time you ate, Detective? I mean before the half a pancake and two bites of my eggs?"

 

Danny took a long breath and looked down at the half eaten food on his plate. It was very good. He had been very impressed with Max and Chin's cooking skills, but he just couldn't find the will to eat.

 

"I don't know, lunch with Steve yesterday. "

 

"But you haven't really been eating since this started have you?"

 

"No, he hasn't," Steve jumped it. "He didn't eat that much at lunch or at the restaurant the other night. He hasn't been sleeping, but with the dreams how could he?"

 

There was an animated way Steve was moving in his chair as he spoke that would be comical under different circumstances.

 

"It is my theory that Jason is using you just as he used Ryna. He is draining you of your energy and that's what's making him stronger."

 

"Naturally," Danny shrugged looking to Steve.

 

"You've got to be kidding me?" Steve groaned. "There were others, a male voice chanting and an old woman in the kitchen, what about them?"

 

 

"Other illusions created by Awana or dominant spirits that are being used by Awana. More evidence will need to be collected before we can determine what is going on and what we need to do next. If we could find Ryna that would be most helpful as well."

 

"We're trying, Max," Kono said. "She's been in the wind since the day she met Danny."

 

There was a sudden, high-pitched laugh coming from Danny. The kind he would get when he was truly dog tired. It was a combination of hysterics and exhaustion causing a crazy kind of laugh. Everyone fell silent and stared at Danny cautiously.

 

"Well this is a first," Danny said amidst the laughter. "I've had a wide range of people try to kill me, but never someone who I've already killed."

 

"Yep, he's already cracking under the pressure," Chin said.

 

"I wouldn't advise that you stay in your house anymore, Detective. At least not alone," Max said, gravely serious.

 

"Then he won't," Steve agreed.

 

"You're welcome to stay here," Kono offered. "Adam is coming back to town tomorrow and I was planning on staying with him this week."

 

"I don't know if he should be alone at all," Steve butted in.

 

"You're welcome to stay at Adam's or we can stay here with you."

 

"You’re always welcome to crash at my place too," Chin said.

 

"Mine as well," Max smile "Just note that sometimes I do entertain my lady, my smoking hot lady, and things can get...well...rambunctious."

 

Kono covered her mouth to stifle a laugh as Chin mouthed the word 'wow' to Steve.

 

"Yes, Max. We've all met Sabrina. No need to paint a picture. But that's the exact reason why I won't be taking you up on your offer, thank you but no."

 

"You still have a key to my place," Steve reminded him, bumping his shoulder into Danny’s.

 

"Did you not just hear what I said?" Danny laughed again. "I'm really not in a place right now to stay with anyone who has a a smoking hot girlfriend they want to get rambunctious with so no thank you. If I take anyone up on their offer it will be Chin, unless you plan on having Lalani over?"

 

"I will try to control myself for a few days, brah."

 

"Thank you. There is a true friend," Danny smiled. "But I'm not going to let this creep chase me out of my own home."

 

The ringing of the phone stopped whatever argument Steve was just about to make. It had them all checking, but it was coming from Steve's phone. He fished it out quickly and the way his face turned to stone told Danny that their paranormal investigation was about to be put on the back burner. Steve answered the phone and made minimal conversation.

 

 “We’re on the way,” Steve ended the call. “Okay guys. We’ve got hostage situation downtown.”   
 

 

 


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “For your information, I have slept. Just not that well. What with the Hawaiian chanting every morning at three, the old lady who dislikes how I organize my kitchen, and,oh yeah,that kid I killed who keeps fucking up my dreams!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Editing by 4thofFive all other mistakes are my own
> 
>  
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

All ideas of ghost hunting were put on hold for the next few days as the hostage situation gave way to a case of embezzlement and murder. Sunday had run  them so ragged Danny camped out on his sofa at work just because it was convenient.

 

Despite the team’s protests, Danny went back to his apartment Monday night. He refused to be driven out of  his home. Minor things had happened, the dreams by far being the worst. Danny was still waking up at 3 a.m. to the sound of chanting. It was clearer now. He knew it was one man rhythmically calling out in Hawaiian.

 

On Wednesday he was sitting on the sofa, after just getting off the phone with Grace, when he saw the old woman again. This time he could see most of her form; all but the hands and feet were detailed in blue smoke.  She had a modest long sleeve dress on and an apron tied around her waist. Danny didn’t move a muscle as he watched her glide across his view of the kitchen. Three seconds later there was the crashing sound of broken glass.

 

 “Damn it,” Danny groaned.  “You’re the reason there is always a mess!”

 

 Apparently the old woman didn’t like his harsh words. When Danny woke up that morning he found the containers of salt, pepper, and sugar had been opened and the fine contents scattered all over his counters and floor. Danny took several pictures and kept his cursing to himself as he cleaned.

 

 It was Thursday afternoon by the time things had wrapped up in the case. Steve and Danny were driving back from turning over their suspects for booking. As much as he tried to hold it back, a huge yawn left Danny. He knew it would not escape the eagle eye of his partner, so he just laid his head back and waited. Steve juggled driving and gawking over at his worn out partner.

 

 “You haven’t been sleeping,” Steve stated flatly.

 

 “Brilliant detective work,” Danny quipped. “Ever think of getting into law enforcement?"

 

 “Damn it, Danny.”

 

 “For your information, I have slept. Just not that well. What with the Hawaiian chanting every morning at three, the old lady who dislikes how I organize my kitchen, and,oh yeah,that kid I killed who keeps fucking up my dreams!"

 

 “You can stay at my place till we figure this out,” Steve offered softly, like he would truly be offended by the rejection.

 

 “I already put Kono out once, and Chin has already put an offer in before yours, thank you.”

 

 “You're welcome there anytime, Danny!” Steve snapped, swerving dramatically to get into the right lane. “You know that!”

 

 “I know! Geez, calm down. Do not kill us because I said I’d bunk at Chin’s house before yours. Maniac,” Danny sat up straighter in the seat. “I didn’t want to mess up things between you and Catherine anymore than they were. You don’t think I haven't noticed how your jugular tries to explode anytime I bring her up? I don’t want to be there and cause anymore problems.”

 

 “Yeah, well you can’t cause any problems if she isn’t there, Danny,” Steve said, the aforementioned jugular swelling. “I haven’t spoken to her since Saturday.”

 

 “Because she is working, me, or both?” 

 

 “She is working, but…we have our own issues as it turns out.  But mostly she just can’t say things like that about you, okay? You’re my partner. She should be able to understand what that means and…look, I’m sorry about what happened that night. I don't think you’re crazy.  She just doesn’t know you like I do.”

 

 “So, my problems have screwed up both our relationships. Fantastic.”

 

 “No. That’s not what happened. Catherine is being judgmental and jealous for some insane reason. I just…I can’t deal with it now. Not when I have to figure out what’s going on with you. You won't leave that damn house. You’re walking around like the living dead with dark circles under your eyes, grey skin, hair half-assed done.”

 

 “Gee thanks,”  
 

 “You know what I’m saying. I have my priorities straight.”

 

Danny just shook his head at the idea that Steve thought Danny came before his relationship with Catherine.

 

 “That’s all well and good, but I’m not going to be driven out of my home.”

 

 “Fine,” Steve said tapping a button on his phone..

 

 “Hey, Steve,” Chin’s voice answered through the phone.

 

 “You get the stuff from Toast and what we need to do?”

 

 “Yes, but he said he would be happy to do an investigation for free,” Chin said.

 

 “No,” Danny groaned. “That is not necessary – yet.”

 

 “That’s okay, Chin. I’ll swing by and grab that stuff. Danny and I are going to see what we can get tonight and go from there.”

 

 “Sound good,” Chin replied before the call was disconnected.

 

 “You don’t have to do that. We just finished a case, we’re tired, and you need to fix things with Catherine.”

 

 “Catherine is working,” Steve said sternly. “And if you’re going to insist on going back to that place I’m going with you.”

 

 “Catherine is working late tonight?” Danny asked quietly looking over at Steve.

 

 “I swear, Danny if you tell me to go running back to her one more time, I will punch you right in face.”

 

 Danny nodded and cast his gaze out the window, “You think you can fix things, with her?”

 

 “I don’t know,” Steve said with a big sigh. 

 

 The pair drifted into silence. It didn't register until then that Steve had said Catherine was acting jealous.  The rest of the car ride Danny kept forcing his brain not to over think it.

 

Danny explained that he had to make a few stops and then he would meet Steve back at his house. He was grateful that Steve didn’t try to follow. Thankfully, Steve was determined to spend the next half hour becoming an expert at whatever Toast had left for them  before he headed to Danny's.

 

 Danny had to meet with Gabby at the museum. Gabby was heading out of town and he needed to pick up the research she had for Grace’s social studies project. He still had to figure out what he was going to do about his weekend with his daughter.

 

 The museum had already closed by the time Danny had gotten there, but Gabby had let him in the staff entrance. Gabby was finishing up some work and had asked Danny to wait in the gallery. It always amazed Danny how he could so sufficiently turn a woman against him.

 

 Danny was looking around in the ancient Hawaiian weapons displays. A few janitors were starting their rounds and some tour guides, laughing about ridiculous tourists, were somewhere close by. Danny had his ears trained on all of them - habit from being a cop. His eyes looked over the weapons carved from koa wood with shark's teeth strategically embedded in them. He looked up to the large case where  mannequins were dressed as ancient Hawaiian warriors. There were rings of green ti leaves around their heads and waists. A red cloth draped down their front from the ti leaf belt at their waist and in the back to protect their decency - Danny could think of no other propose the flimsy material served.

 

Bold black tribal tattoos traced up the width of the warriors thighs, and upper arms, and extended down to the chest. Swirling, jagged, geometrical patterns that represented natural symbols transfixed Danny until he saw a flash of red. There was a movement in the glass. The flimsy red material fluttered as thick tan thighs shifted  Danny’s eyes looked up the glass. There was someone standing behind the lifeless warriors, someone who was dressed exactly like his plastic counterparts. The man stood back against the forest painted canvas. His dark eyes glared at Danny. The man seemed to take a defensive position, leaning forward and bringing up a spear that Danny hadn’t noticedbefore. The man flicked out his tongue, displaying it in an unnerving way.

 

 “Danny,” Gabby said from behind him.

 

 Danny watched the warrior flicker out like bad reception on a television set, until it was completely gone.

 

 “Danny,” Gabby repeated tugging his arm. “Are you okay?”

 

 “Uh, yeah,” Danny said. “Is that mine?”

 

 Gabby handed him the folder of papers she had gathered for Grace.

 

 “I’ll be back on Tuesday if she has any questions she can call me or stop by,” Gabby was speaking but Danny was looking back at the warrior’s case that now only held the plastic men.

 

 “What are you looking at?” Gabby asked

 

 Danny turned his attention to her. She had her arms cross over her white silk blouse looking annoyed.

 

 “Your display. Very life like, with the hologram or whatever. That creepy guy, with the tongue, that is in there...wow .”

 

 “What hologram tongue thing?” Gabby shook her head.

 

 “You know. The warrior guy sticking out his tongue to freak out his opponent,” Danny laughe,, “Which works by the way.”

 

 “There is nothing like that in these displays , Danny,” Gabby said firmly and now looking very concerned that Danny was losing it. “What’s going on? Are you all right?”

 

 Danny presented her with the best fake smile he had even though all his instincts told him to run. This couldn’t be happening. His experiences were supposed to be limited to his home and nowhere else.

 

 “I mean. I know that’s what they do. I was just looking at this guy and thinking about a case we did with re-enactors. Freaked me out,” Danny was scrambling to get away now.

 

“Anyway, thanks for this. Grace appreciates this. Have a safe trip.”

 

 With that Danny turned and walked rather briskly back out the way he came. He didn’t plan on stopping until he got back to his place.

 

Gabby on the other hand was frozen in place for several seconds as she tried to determine what had just happened.  As much as she didn't want to make the call, she pulled out her phone anyway.  No matter what had happened she still cared about Danny.

 

"Steve," Gabby spoke into the phone when he answered. "I need to talk to you about, Danny. I need to make sure that at least you know exactly what's been going on with him."

 

 

 

 

 

 


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danny stormed in the house, slamming the front door and tossing his keys on the coffee table as he went. He held up his hands as if he were warding off anything the unseen intruders were about to welcome him with.
> 
>  
> 
> “All I would like is ten minutes for a shower, please!” Danny bellowed as he stomped to the bathroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Editing by 4thofFive all other mistakes are my own
> 
>  
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Danny stormed in the house, slamming the front door and tossing his keys on the coffee table as he went. He held up his hands as if he were warding off anything the unseen intruders were about to welcome him with.

 

 “All I would like is ten minutes for a shower, please!” Danny bellowed as he stomped to the bathroom.

 

 He didn’t know how much time he had before Steve would arrive, and he didn’t care. He just wanted a little time to himself. Steve would let himself in anyway.

 

Danny haphazardly undressed in the bathroom and turned the water on. The hot jets of water felt like pure unadulterated heaven on his skin. This was what he had been waiting for all day. The case had been hard, dealing with other-worldly beings had been hard, and facing Gabby who knew his deeply hidden secrets, had been hard. This week sucked all the way around, no question about it.  Now he was single and it looked like Steve was heading in that direction as well. There was a sick part of him that was happy about that, even though a bitter part  knew  he wasn’t going to do anything about it so it didn’t matter.

 

 He had just got the conditioner rinsed out of his hair when the chanting started. It was low at first, but building fast. Danny stopped and listened. Same as before, the voice was male and he couldn’t pinpoint what direction it was coming from. The man sounded angry this time, aggressive even.

 

 “You have got to be fucking kidding me,” Danny called out.

 

 A dark shadow slid along the outside of the white shower curtain. It was solid enough to block the bathroom light and get Danny’s attention. His head jerked up and he stared intently through the opaque curtain. All he could see was the fuzzy outline of the fixtures in his bathroom.

 

 Slam!

 

It sounded like a fist on the bathroom door, followed by a sharp battle cry. Danny’s back hit the shower wall where he remained frozen until the sound dissipated. The shadow was nowhere to be seen, but Danny had to check. He slowly wrapped his fingers around the edge of the curtain and yanked it open.

 

There was nothing, just an empty bathroom filled with bright white light. The only sound he could hear now was the shower still running. Danny's chest had a dull ache in it and he felt  weaker than when he got in the shower. He was beginning to wonder how much more his body could take. Danny moved to turn off the shower and was confronted with the tall broad body of a Hawaiian warrior standing next to him.  The warrior’s face was covered in swirling black tattoos that moved and pulsated. His eyes were black voids that were aimed right at Danny. The man cried out at Danny with a deafening scream. His tongue rolled out in a most unnatural manner. The man’s wide, forked tongue flicked at Danny while his thick, blood covered hands reached for Danny’s throat.

 

The whole thing occurred in a matter of seconds and had Danny screaming and scrambling back out of the shower. He tripped on the curtain and went sprawling onto the floor, ripping most of the curtain down with him. The Hawaiian warrior loomed over him, now clutching a spear which he  raised over Danny, ready to make his death blow. Danny's mind raced with the options on how to get out of this.

 

The bathroom door flew open, distracting the warrior.

 

 “Danny!” Steve cried out.

 

 Danny looked up, never more thankful to see the big guy in his entire life. Steve though was looking directly at the shower. The warrior cried out and lunged at Steve, who took a defying step forward. The ghost vanished into thick wisps of black smoke, its battle cry still lingering in the air.

 

 Steve dropped down to his knees by Danny who had somehow wedged himself between the toilet and the sink.

 

 “Danny, are you okay?” Steve asked.

 

 “What the fuck was that? Tell me you saw that Steve?” Danny asked frantically.

 

 Steve’s hands were gently holding Danny’s head to examine it closely.

 

 “Did you hit your head?”

 

 “What?” Danny batted Steve’s hands away. “You think I slipped in the shower or something, and then freaked out?”

 

 “No!” Steve said, checking Danny’s eyes. “I think you fell out of the shower when you saw an ancient Hawaiian warrior in your shower.  And I’m trying to make sure you didn’t give yourself a concussion.”

 

 When Steve seemed satisfied that Danny was physically okay he reached over with his impossibly long arms and shut off the water.

 

 Danny reached out for him and used Steve’s other arm to help pull himself up into a more seated position. He had  long since forgotten the fact that he was soaking wet and naked.

 

 “You saw him? You had to, how else would you know exactly what I saw ?”

 

 “I did,” Steve said looking a bit ashen himself. “I got here a few minutes ago and heard you cursing. I debated  if I should come in or not, because I knew something was going on with you, thanks to a phone call I just got, then I heard you scream. So I just busted in.”

 

 “I’m not crazy,” Danny started to laugh. “I’m not crazy. This is real!”

 

 “Never doubted you for a minute,” Steve smiled.

 

 Danny pulled Steve into an awkward hug and patted his back hard. He could feel the rumble of Steve’s laugh from his chest. It moved the hard metal buttons of Steve’s shirt over Danny’s bare skin, catching some of the hair. That’s when it came back to Danny.

 

 “Um…Steve, I’m naked.”

 

 “Yes. Yes, you are, Danny,” Steve said still holding on. “You’re naked, wet, and hugging me.”  
 

 “Hand me a towel.”

 

 Steve got up and found Danny a towel. There was no way Danny could make eye contact with Steve at this point, not until he got some proper clothing on. The only towel he had in the bathroom didn’t fit him all the way around the waist. So he managed to cover his front, but his ass was a lost case. Steve had now officially seen him completely naked, and Danny handled that by hugging him. Danny ran into the bedroom to change and contemplate if it was the universe or just his own mind that was out to get him.

 

 He changed into jeans and a tee before he found Steve in the kitchen setting up a camera on a tripod.

 

 “What’s with all the bags in the living room?” Danny asked.

 

 “That’s the cameras Toast loaned us,” Steve said. “I’m just getting a head start. I was thinking  about the stories you told me of the old lady in the kitchen. I think if we set the camera up we should be able to catch everything from this angle if she decides to act up. The goal is to catch any movement while the audio is to catch EVPs.”

 

"E what now?"

 

"Electronic Voice Phenomenon," Steve recited like expert Danny knew he would try to become. "Voices or sounds that we can't hear with our own ears, but can be picked up on recording devices."

 

 “Okay,” Danny nodded, leaning up against the counter. “You mentioned something in the bathroom about a phone call about me.”

 

 “Oh, yeah,” Steve’s confidence was leaving him now. “Gabby called me. I know you said you were seeing her tonight to pick up some things for Gracie’s project. Well, she was worried about you. She said you were seeing things that weren’t there.”

 

 Danny ran his hands through his wet hair, “Apparently, my Hawaiian friend followed me outside the house. It’s the first time something has happened to me outside of here.”

 

 “She also asked me how I’d been since you two ended things and if you’d talked to me about what really happened.”

 

 Steve’s fingers were fidgeting nervously with the camera as he watched Danny’s expression. All Danny could do was laugh, a cynical laugh that reduced his eyes to mere slits and crinkled the laugh lines around his eyes and mouth.

 

 “Could this day get any better?” Danny said. “It’s bad enough she chooses this moment to call it quits and now she involves you.”

 

 “So it’s really over?”

 

 “I guess so,” Danny tossed his hands up. “Look, can we just set this stuff up and go to your place, please?”

 

 “Really? You’ll go back with me?”

 

 “If the offer still stands. I hate running away from this, but the shower was enough haunted house fun for me tonight.”

 

 “Sure, buddy,” Steve smiled.

 

 They set up the cameras in the bathroom and bedroom. They also placed small digital recorders in each of the rooms as well. None of them were turned on yet, Steve had one last thing he wanted to do before they did that and left for the night.

 

 “Come on, Danny,” Steve said, coaxing Danny into the bedroom.

 

 Steve was sitting down on the bed, on the same side where Danny usually slept. He patted the empty place next to him. Danny had a ton of mixed feelings  about this. Not to mention he didn’t trust the spirits in his home. He was afraid to close his eyes for a second on that bed for fear he would slip off into sleep and there would be no telling what the ghost of Jason Awana would make him do.

 

In Steve's large hand was one of the tiny digital recorders. It made Danny a bit apprehensive, as if sitting next to Steve on the bed wasn't bad enough.

 

 "Toast said to just start asking questions," Steve held up skinny black device. "You turn this on, ask a question then pause."

 

 "And what?" Danny shrugged, "A ghost is really supposed to answer you back?"

 

 "Not all the time, but sometimes."

 

 "Ask it something then."

 

 Steve's thumb hovered over the record button as he looked over Danny with a worried eye. He took in a heavy breath that made the bed shift and made Danny move closer to him. The bedside lamp was on, illuminating all of Steve's softer features, while his body was warm against Danny.  It was almost too inviting for Danny to just pull Steve down and close his eyes. He wanted to fall back into the security of everything that Steve represented to him.

 

 "Jason, or whoever is here," Steve said, sternly. "Why are you doing this?"

 

 There was nothing. Silence filled the house.

 

 "What are you doing here?" Steve asked again.

 

 They gave it another minute before Steve's patience was gone and he rewound  the digital recorder.

 

He put it up between their heads and they leaned in and listened to Steve's questions. The only response the first question got was white noise. Steve almost hit the stop button after the  long silence that followed the second question when strange popping sounds started coming through. The partners leaned in even closer to one another as they listened.

 

 "Haole queer!" sneered a loud voice followed by the fading sound of laughter.

 

Steve jerked the recorder away so fast Danny was sure it was going to go flying, but he kept it tight in his hand.

 

 "What the hell was that?"Steve asked. "Was that Jason?"

 

"Uh, yeah."

 

"Pleasant guy, but why would he -”

 

 "Let's go. Huh? Can we go, please?"

 

 Steve nodded, "Yeah, Danny let's go home."

 

 


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve shifted around in his seat again, clearly signaling to Danny that something else was going on. There was something on Steve’s mind that went beyond the message left on the tape recorder. Then he remembered Steve said Gabby had called him earlier. There was new fear creeping up inside of Danny again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited by the wonderful 4thofFive all other errors are my own
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was painfully clear that Steve wanted more answers and Danny desperately tried to act like he didn't have any. He encouraged Steve to move things along as they went about the house turning on all of the recording devices. For some reason, Steve seemed to be taking his time in the bedroom while Danny was setting up the living room.

“Yo, Steven let’s go!” Danny called down the hall.

“Yeah, just getting some of your stuff.”

“Leave it!”

Once the last camera was rolling, Danny couldn't get out of the house fast enough. He was almost bouncing on his heels as he stood by the car waiting for Steve. Apparently Steve hadn’t listened to Danny because when he emerged from the house he was carrying a small overnight bag.

"Let's take my truck," Steve jerked his head toward the blue vehicle.

Danny moved from the Camaro, but still questioned it, "Why?"

"That way it still looks like you’re home." 

Both men slid into the truck, but that wasn’t the end of it. The words bounced around in Danny’s already full brain, but it only took him a couple seconds to go from confusion to fuming angry. He knew he shouldn't read too much into things, but that's what he did. 

"You think Ryna – or someone – will be back and we'll catch them on camera? That this isn't real? That you didn't just see or hear what you just saw and heard? That maybe they are pumping hallucinogenic drugs into the house or something? Really, Steven? Are we going to have this discussion all over again?"

"Danny!" Steve yelled once Danny paused to take a breath. "If Ryna or anyone else does come back, you’re damn right I want them on camera. I want Ryna in order to find out what she did to you. And yes, I believe you! I believed you before I even came over here tonight! Now, will stop fighting me, please!" 

Danny thumped his head back against the head rest. They lapsed into silence for the rest of the drive to Steve's house. Things felt strained as they made their way inside. Danny could hear the wheels inside Steve's head turning and he didn't like it. 

They both collapsed on the sofa as soon as they walked in. The house was silent, except for the distant sound of waves washing up on the beach. The only light came from the lamp next to the sofa which Steve turned on after he sat down. Its soft yellow glow was hardly enough to illuminate more than a quarter of the room, but Danny was okay with that for now. He was good with just Steve and himself sitting on the sofa listening to the faint sound of the waves on the shore.

"That was...intense," Steve finally said.

Danny knew the blissful silence wasn’t going to last forever.

"No kidding. The worst thing that's happened yet."

"Why an ancient Hawaiian warrior?" Steve asked, sounding like the words were almost too strange leaving his mouth. “How could a punk like Jason really be in control of something as powerful as what we just saw tonight? Or what if it was Jason in disguise?” 

"I don't know. Maybe he has stronger connections with his buddy Satan than we thought.”

“Don’t even joke about that,” Steve shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

“As much as I hate to say it, we need to get Max and Toast in that house and let them see firsthand what’s going on."

Steve shifted around in his seat again, clearly signaling to Danny that something else was going on. There was something on Steve’s mind that went beyond the message left on the tape recorder. Then he remembered Steve said Gabby had called him earlier. There was new fear creeping up inside of Danny again.

“Steven, I am in no mood to beat around the bush so just spit it out, whatever it is.”

Danny glared at Steve who looked like he was going to deny it for a moment, but thought better of it in the end.

"Gabby’s really worried about you.”

“You could have fooled me,” Danny scoffed.

“I just don’t think she knows how to take this,” Steve shrugged. “Plus...the other stuff.”

“What stuff?” Danny watched Steve carefully while trying to mask his own emotions.

“She said some things on the phone today. It made me think you weren’t telling me the whole truth about why you two broke up. You told me that she couldn't handle the haunting anymore, but she alluded that it was something else. Something about that dream you had before you stayed with Kono."

"Must you know every aspect of my personal relationships?" 

"Yes when apparently they involve me!" Steve snapped.

"What makes you think it has anything to do with you?" 

“Gabby calls me concerned about you seeing things. She wanted to make sure you were okay and that someone was looking out for you. I told her I was on my way to meet you and I wouldn't let anything happen to you. Then she got all quiet. I got worried. She asked if I knew about the breakup," Steve rubbed his palms over his pants. "I guess I didn't give her the right answer because she said it was important I ask you about the dream. She wouldn't tell me any more than that about it because she said it was for you to tell. All she would say was that she knew for a while now that she wasn't the one for you. She just could never bring herself to admit it."

"Fuck," Danny grumbled into his hands now covering his face.

"Look at me, Danny."

With a heaving sigh he removed his hands and looked over at his friend. What he saw in those dark eyes was the look of a man about to go out on a limb. That look was doing all sorts of things to Danny.

"You said in your first dream I was there. We were arguing in the bedroom and Jason killed me."

"Yeah and?"

"I know you told me Gabby dumped you after hearing a sex dream you had, or that Jason made you have. But Gabby told me that was the day she got confirmation that she wasn’t the one for you. And when she saw you today she got worried so she called me and was emphatic that I find you and that I get you to tell me about the dream.”

"You want to get to the point?" Danny was covering his panic with snark.

Steve took a deep breath and began to speak with more confidence, knowing Danny’s tones as well as Danny knew his faces. That was the trouble with hiding his emotions from Steve, as the years went on it became harder and harder to do when someone knew you as well as Steve did.

"You were dreaming about me again, am I right?" 

Danny started to laugh, a tired and sad laugh.

"You just saw a ghost and you want to talk about this right now? Of course you do. Superman isn't afraid of anything, let alone some silly ghosts so let’s pick apart Danny’s fucked up love life." 

"Danny," Steve urged. "Am I the reason you and Gabby broke up? Was it a misunderstanding over a dream, that again this bastard made you have? Or is Gabby on to something with her suspicions?" 

"Yes, Steven! I already told you it was a sex dream that Gabby and I fought about,” Danny finally broke, because damn Steve for just being Steve at this point. “As it turns out I had this long dream, with lots of dialog, and Gabby was there to hear all of it. And yes, it was with you. You were there, but at the end you turned into Jason, who just laughed at me like he did all of this on purpose. I believe he did. He made me have this dream so I would say these things just so Gabby would dump me. Gabby got on to me about what the dream meant and if I wanted to be doing what I...what we were doing in the dream. Do I really have to do this, Steve?"

"She thinks I'm the one you want to be with. That you and me...?

"Uh...yes, Sherlock you cracked the case. My full confessional sex dream confirmed all of Gabby's fears that I am secretly in love with my partner and best friend, which is insane I know because I told her you've already given your heart to the lovely lady Catherine, even if I've inadvertently put a wrench in that. Happy now?"

There was no look of joy on Steve's face. What Danny did see was shock and surprise that he was actually right. Danny on the other hand felt like he was going to throw up.

"Now you know everything. Gabby's gone and now you will be too – all because of some punk kid's ghost."

Danny got to his feet and followed the sound of the ocean. He didn't stop walking until he reached to point where the yard gave way to sand.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The waves crashed rhythmically against the shore, but did little to muffle the sound of blood rushing to Danny’s ears. The cool winds also did little to stop the instant flush that came over him. This wasn’t what he had been expecting. Danny's hand wrapped around Steve's forearms, to steady himself while his eyes stayed locked on Steve's.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited by the wonderful 4thofFive all other errors are my own
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 Danny got to his feet and walked as quickly as he could until he was out the back door.  He didn't stop until he reached the point where the yard gave way to sand. The trade winds blew cool salty air around Danny. He wrapped his arms around himself and stared out onto the dark inky water.

 

His heart was thumping and the fear that crept up his spine was worse than anything that happened at his house. Because of what just happened he was going to lose the most important relationship he made since he came to Hawaii. The most messed up dysfunctional relationship he'd ever been in, but it was the most precious thing to him next to his daughter.

 

"Danny," Steve said.

 

Danny jumped a little not realizing Steve had joined him outside. He shouldn't have been surprised, but it just showed Danny how far off his game he  was. 

 

"Steve, I know this situation is screwed up and I don't want it to come between our partnership."

 

"Let me talk, Danno," Steve pulled on Danny's arms until he faced him. "You’re wrong about a few things." 

 

"What?" Danny's voice sounded so weak, but he was. His fear of what was going to come out of Steve's mouth made him feel so very weak.

 

“You said that I'm not afraid of anything, that's not true. I'm constantly afraid about losing the people in my....well my new family. Kono being gone and there was nothing I could do – I was scared. It was just pointless to show it. Not when we had to carry on. When I thought there was a real chance you were going to...the bomb you triggered you know? I was terrified out of my mind, Danny. Losing you, not being able to protect you, that terrifies me." 

 

All Danny could do was stare up at Steve, whose hands were squeezing firmly on his arms. Steve looked as vulnerable as Danny had felt just a few moments ago when talking about his dream. 

 

"And you had nothing to do with what happened between Catherine and me. I care for her, I do, but she doesn't have my heart."

 

The waves crashed rhythmically against the shore, but did little to muffle the sound of blood rushing to Danny’s ears. The cool winds also did little to stop the instant flush that came over him. This wasn’t what he had been expecting. Danny's hand wrapped around Steve's forearms, to steady himself while his eyes stayed locked on Steve's.

 

"What are you saying?" Danny asked.

 

“Just tell me if the dreams were more than just that? Was Gabby right? Did you want that to happen that with me? Is that why you two broke up?"

 

Danny swallowed hard, "Yeah. Yes. All of the above."

 

"You want it now?" Steve leaned in a little further.

 

“You have no idea how this will complicate things," Danny said a bit breathless.

 

He couldn't believe he was making that much sense with Steve leaning in so close and his own want closing the gap between them.

 

"Do you want this, Danny?"

 

"Yes."

 

That one word seemed to unleash something in Steve that had been dormant. He pulled Danny in to close the inches that separated them and pressed their lips together. Danny's hands moved to Steve's chest, fisting the material of his shirt. He clung to Steve, afraid his knees would give out if he didn't. It had been so long since Danny had kissed a man, and  he’d wanted  Steve for so long, the mixture was making his head swim.

 

Steve’s lips were as powerful as they were gentle, much like the man himself. Danny found himself moaning as Steve's tongue ran across his lips. That spurred Steve on and Danny opened up for him. Their kissing became deep and dirty very quickly. Danny's hands cupped Steve's face as he took in the thrill of Steve's hands roaming all over his back, gripping and pawing at him like he was desperate for it. 

 

Then something happened in Danny's brain. He realized that he'd been here before. Too many times this week and none of those times had been real.

 

"Wait," Danny said, pushing Steve away. "Wait."

 

"What's wrong?"

 

"This isn't real is it?" Danny didn't know if he should laugh or cry. "I'm asleep in Steve's truck and none of this has happened. Except, I’ve probably said this all out loud and he’s probably going to deck me then fire me, right?"

 

"No, Danny you're awake," Steve reached for him but Danny kept out of his reach.

 

"No, you sick fuck," Danny snapped, pushing Steve. "Every night the same thing: you push Steve on to me and then kill him. You need some new material, although, not having Steve  covered in blood after killing our girlfriends is a plus. But still..."

 

Danny stalked back into the house. He needed to wake up, but he didn't know how to do that.

 

"Wake up, Danny!"  he yelled to himself.

 

"Danny," Steve grabbed him once they were back in the living room."You are awake."

 

Danny spun around on him and pushed Steve away.

 

"My Steve isn't gay or bi, and if he was he wouldn't be with me. I'm on to your game so I'm going to wake up now if you don’t mind." 

 

Danny started pinching himself in the arm. Cursing each time when he did and nothing happened.

 

 "You're not asleep. I am Steve, and I am bi," Steve said angrily.

 

"Yeah, can you just hurry this up so I can wake up?" Danny said looking around. “Where’s your knife? Or gun?”

 

 

“What?” Steve’s face screwed up in annoyance..

 

Danny rolled his eyes and made a move for Steve’s pockets.

 

“I’ll do it myself if it moves things along. Go on, stab me, shoot me, strangle me.  Whatever gets your rocks off. Let’s go.”

 

Steve made a strange frustrated noise that puzzled Danny. It didn't follow the normal pattern of his dreams, but Danny had never been aware he had been dreaming before. In his puzzlement he was unprepared for the sudden strike that jerked his head to one side. The left side of his face stung from the pink palm print on his cheek. The slapping sound across his face had jarred Danny enough to realize this wasn't a dream.

 

 "You know you're supposed to pinch someone to see if they are awake," Danny said rubbing his cheek. 

 

"You're not asleep!" 

 

"I know that now!" 

 

The pair just stared at one another for a few moments as they caught their breath. Danny couldn't believe how quiet and still Steve was being. Then it dawned on him what just happened. _It_ happened. It finally happened. They kissed, and it wasn't a dream. 

 

"I'm sorry, Danny," Steve said, so quiet Danny wondered if he was imagining it. "I shouldn’t have done that. Now is not the time.” 

 

By the time Danny realized it was Steve speaking, Steve had slumped down on the sofa. He looked disgusted with himself and more frightened than Danny had felt at any time during his paranormal encounters.

 

 "What are you talking about?" Danny sat next to him. 

 

"You thought you were dreaming. You’re worn down and this is too much like me taking advantage of you," Steve leaned away from Danny looking confused as much as he did dejected. 

 

"No," Danny felt sick at the thought of making Steve feel that way. "I just couldn’t believe this was really happening. I assumed Awana was fucking with me. I never –  believe me never –  thought you were bisexual. But I want this, babe. I want you, Steve."

 

 Danny's hands tugged at Steve's arm literally pulling him back onto the same page as him. There was still a questioning look of doubt in Steve's eyes when they met Danny's again, but Danny wasn't having it. Now that he knew Steve wanted him, and that he could touch Steve the way he always wanted too, his hands didn't seem to know what to do first.

 

His left hand slipped down the length of Steve's arm till it wrapped around Steve's hand. Long fingers closed around Danny's shorter ones, and Danny rewarded Steve with a smile. Danny's right hand roamed the expanse of Steve’s shoulders, running down his back, and then back up till his fingers dug into the hair at the base at Steve's neck. He didn't miss the hitch in Steve's breath as his blunt nails dug into his scalp. Danny had always been a tactile person, and they had both long since given up on personal boundaries, but this was different. This was a different way of touching. Just holding Steve's hand, his arms pressed against Danny's chest, and Danny's fingers running through Steve's hair; simple and light, but electric all at the same time. Danny could already feel himself starting to get hard. 

 

"Danny," Steve said with a small gasp. "Are you sure?"

 

  "Come 'mere," Danny whispered before meeting Steve half way for another kiss.

 

It was slower but no less passionate when they kissed again. Steve's tongue again sought entrance. The hot slide of their lips grew more intense by the second. It seemed Steve had just as much pent up inside of him as Danny did and that only made Danny want it that much more.

 

Their clasped hands released so Steve could wrap his arm around Danny's waist. Leaving Danny's hand free to squeeze and palm at Steve's thigh. Firm hands pressed on the blond’s lower back silently urging him up. It was a request that Danny eagerly obliged as he crawled over onto his partner's lap. All the weak, tired feelings he had been experiencing were gone now that he was in Steve's arms. Looking down at the taller man, Danny was confronted with dark, lust-filled eyes.

 

Steve’s lips sought out Danny's again, while his large hands ran down Danny's back until they made themselves at home much lower. Steve's hand squeezed and kneaded desperately at the swell of Danny's ass through his jeans. The shorter man gasped and rocked forward against Steve, his head dropping forward.

 

Steve's hands flew off  Danny like he'd been burnt, "I'm sorry, too fast?"

  

 "No," Danny managed to say, shaking his head.

 

Something in the Commander had him still hesitating, his hands just barely grazed over Danny's back. This wasn't going to work for Danny. The detective took the initiative and climbed off  Steve's lap. The other man didn't try to stop him, not when he thought he had done something wrong.

 

"Up, McGarrett," Danny ordered. 

 

Steve slowly scooted to the edge of his seat, keeping a confused eye on Danny.

 

"I know I've complained about your Neanderthal ways before, but tonight you get a free pass. Come on, drag me to your cave and make your claim," Danny waved him up and toward the direction of the stairs.

 

"I can do that," Steve said in a low voice, as he finally got to his feet. 

 

Danny walked backwards to the bottom of the stairs and enjoyed the view of Steve stalking his way over to him. They fumbled up the stairs in a tangled mess of arms and legs, both finally looking forward to what was going to happen next.

 


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danny felt so open and exposed, but he no longer cared. He didn’t want to hide anything from Steve ever again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thankfully this was edited by 4thofFive 
> 
> any and all other mistakes are my own
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once they hit the bedroom shirts were tossed aside in favor of naked torsos. Danny's legs hit the bed first. He took it as his cue and dropped his pants with little finesse. He crawled up on the bed on his knees looking for Steve who was standing beside the bed staring at him, still wearing pants.

 

"Over here," Danny snapped his fingers.

 

 "Who's the caveman now, Danny?" Steve laughed moving into Danny's reach, "I was just trying to enjoy the view."

 

"You were trying to think," Danny said as he worked on Steve's belt.

 

He realized just how close Steve's bare chest was to him now and he took this new opportunity to kiss and bite at the flesh., "There will be no more thinking tonight. We are just going off our baser instincts now. You should like that." 

 

Danny roughly pulled at Steve's pants, forcing the half-naked, tattooed man to hold on to Danny’s shoulders to keep his balance. Steve kicked his pants and underwear aside and focused on Danny again.

 

 "Wait, Danny," the hesitation was back. "If all you want to do is just-"

 

"Stop," Danny hushed, one hand clutching Steve's hip while the other gently trailed down Steve's chest and stomach. "I'm not doing what you thinking I'm doing. This is not me just using you. It's not what I do. I trust you and tonight I just need you. We can fight out the details in the morning. Please." 

 

"Have you been with a man before?" Steve asked.

 

"A lifetime ago. You?"

 

Steve only nodded, sliding his hands up from Danny's shoulders to wrap around the back of his neck.

 

"Steven, do you know how long I've wanted this?" Danny asked, just as his hand closed around Steve's erect cock. "Have you wanted this for a while, too?"

 

The taller man was helpless and could only shake his head in agreement as Danny stroked him painfully slowly. 

 

"As for me, I’ve wanted this a very, very long time, babe," The words spilled from Danny as Steve relaxed in his hands. "My dreams, sex dreams, of you didn't just start. You've stared in countless fantasies over these past couple years. Some taking place in this big comfy bed. Or me waiting for you to get back from your early morning swims around the freaking island chain, just so I can drop to my knees in the sand and suck you off."

 

Steve's breathing was quickening as did Danny's strokes helping him punctuate what he was saying. He could tell Steve was hanging on every word and it was intoxicating.

 

"I've also had dreams about finally having enough of your bullshit at work. I'd drag you into your office, put you into an arm lock and bend you over the desk and then pound your ass into next week."

 

Steve's fingers pressed into Danny's neck, "Fuck, Danny."

 

"But then I always have the standby of you just breaking into my house in the middle of the night, like the creeper you are, and climbing into bed with me. You pin my wrists down. No explanations, no real words. You'd let your body do all that. You fuck me long and slow with your big cock. Which I must say was nowhere near as impressive in my dreams as the real life version. Lucky for me, huh?" 

 

Danny leaned in and started kissing his way from Steve's broad chest, to his well-defined abs, to the deep grooves of his hips. There was so much ground to cover that Danny felt he could spend an entire night doing nothing but tasting Steve, but he didn't have time for that now. 

 

"You...you really want all that? Really?" Steve asked. 

 

Danny sat back up and cupped Steve's face with his hands, "All of that and more. Anything I can get. What do you want?"

 

"I want that, Danny. I’ve wanted you so much, for so long. I just want you here with me," Steve's hands gripped at Danny's naked skin as if he were afraid he would run.

 

"You got me." 

 

Steve kissed Danny hard, putting everything he had into it. It was just like Danny knew it would be but better than anything he dreamt about. Steve put his emotions and the words he couldn't say into his actions. He kissed Danny with such power and conviction, holding him so close.

 

All Danny’s plans to seduce Steve had gone out the window because clearly he wasn't driving anymore.  Steve guided Danny back on to the bed. The warm heavy press of Steve's naked body on top of Danny's felt like unadulterated bliss. He spread his legs wider to let Steve get closer. They rocked against one another, Danny's hands squeezing on Steve's ass this time because he couldn't seem to get Steve close enough. Their kissing became sloppy to the point they were more or less panting against each other's lips. 

 

"Steve," Danny gasped for air. "Please tell me you have...stuff. Supplies or whatever."

 

 "Yeah, but you really want me to use the same stuff I used-"

 

"I swear Steven you finish that sentence I will knock you out and finish this job without you being conscious, but the answer is yes." 

 

Steve smiled wildly at Danny who only rolled his eyes in return. Naturally, Steve would find Danny's barbaric statement a turn on.

 

 There was a sudden rush of cold air when Steve left Danny to get to the bedside drawer, but he quickly returned kissing Danny feverishly again.

 

“Look, it's been a while since...” Steve admitted against Danny’s lips. “...and I’m out of condoms.”

 

“Boy Scout my ass,” Danny grumbled managing to flip them and climb on top of Steve.

 

“I’m sorry,” Steve sneered. “I didn’t think I was going to be entertaining for a while.”

 

“Is that what they call it in the Army? Entertaining?” Danny rolled his hips as he spoke, their hard cocks sliding together between them. “Cause in Jersey we call it call a good ol’ fashioned ass fucking.”

 

“Damn it, Danny,” Steve grunted, practically throwing Danny when he flipped them again.

 

He had Danny on his back, Danny’s hands pinned above his head. One of Steve’s large hands wrapped around both of Danny’s wrists, while the other hand searched blindly for the lube. Danny’s hair was a mess. Blond strands fell across his forehead as he smiled up at Steve who was looming over him. This was definitely better than any of Danny's dreams by far.

 

“Navy, Danny. And this Navy man is about to entertain your brains out.”

 

“Aye, aye, Commander,” Danny laughed, pulling on his captured wrists a little.

 

Steve just smiled down at Danny with that large goofy grin of his like he had won a prize. It only took a couple seconds for Danny to get self-conscious under the weight of Steve's stare.

 

 "What?" Danny asked lifting his hips, wanting Steve to get on with things.

 

"I love it when you smile. But there isn't much about you I don't love.”

 

Steve quickly leaned in and kissed Danny before anything else could be said. The pressure of Steve holding Danny’s hands down was gone as Steve began working a trail down Danny’s body with his mouth. Danny’s fingers dug into Steve’s hair as teeth grazed over Danny’s nipples. Steve nosed through Danny’s chest hair before finally making his way further down. He started to suck on the skin in the grooves of Danny’s hips. His large eyes flicked up to Danny as he worked a dark bruise in the flesh, waiting for his protest, but Danny could only moan. He tried desperately not to thrust his hips further into Steve’s mouth. This was what he wanted tonight. He wanted Steve to claim him and take charge of the situation.

 

Steve’s large hands pressed on Danny’s hips, holding him in place as he ran his tongue over the head of Danny’s leaking cock. Danny bit his lip to fight the embarrassing noise that was bound to come out of him if he didn’t. He tried to prop himself up enough to look down at this man, this carved statue come to life, naked and kneeling between Danny’s legs. There was a wicked grin on Steve’s face as Danny’s dick twitched between his lips. It was almost enough for Danny to cum right there but he slammed his head back down on the bed and summoned the restraint not to.

 

“I got you, Danny,” Steve said, before he took as much of Danny in his mouth as he could.

 

Danny groaned and arched up into Steve. It was bad manners, but he didn’t care. Steve worked him with firm wet pressure that was better than Danny had had in a long time, if ever. He couldn’t remember, because Steve was sucking any cognitive thought out of him.

 

Danny felt the tightening in balls, and it was happening much too quickly for him. He pulled at Steve’s short hair until he pulled off of him. Steve crawled back up to Danny and started kissing him. Danny wrapped his arms and legs around the taller man, his need to get off was agonizing. He thrust up against Steve and could feel he too was hard and leaking against him. Danny whined against Steve’s lips before he bit at them. There was a quiet, deep chuckle from Steve who maneuvered them onto their sides so they were facing each other. Danny pushed some hair away from his face as he watch Steve bring out the lube, from seemingly nowhere. He pulled Danny’s leg up and slung it over his hips and pressed his knee in between Danny’s legs. Danny couldn’t help but rock on the blunt pressure of Steve’s knee against the sensitive skin behind his balls.

 

Steve put a small amount of the lube in his hand letting it warm before he brought it down between them. He wrapped his hand around Danny’s cock and began stroking him. Danny reached for Steve, his fingers digging at the ink on Steve’s arm.

 

“Look at me, Danny,” Steve said with gasping breaths.

 

Steve nosed at Danny’s cheek until he did. Danny felt so open and exposed, but he no longer cared. He didn’t want to hide anything from Steve ever again. Steve looked like he was getting off just on every little sound or expression of pleasure Danny was making. Steve grew bolder with his strokes. He twisted his wrist at the tip, ran his thumb across the slit, anything that would make Danny moan and writhe in his grip.

 

“Fuck, Steve...gonna cum, babe,” Danny panted.

 

Steve’s eyes locked on Danny as he picked up the pace. He kissed Danny hard just once before he leaned back to watch him.

 

“Do it. I got you. Let me see you. Fucking do it,” Steve rambled like mad.

 

It only took a few more strokes before Danny’s orgasm hit him like a truck. He struggled to keep his eyes on Steve and soon found the world starting to blur. Hardly eating and sleeping for days, and then finally landing in bed with the man of your dreams can do funny things to your brain. The next thing he remember was kissing Steve, the world still spinning. He could feel movement from Steve’s arm. He looked down and saw Steve was jacking himself off. Danny reached down to offer a hand, but Steve brushed him aside. He was going to have to improvise if he was going to help.

 

“You’re fucking amazing, babe,” Danny mumbled. “Want you to fuck me so bad. Next time? Will you fuck me next time?” 

 

That seemed to do the trick as the teetering man fell over the edge. This was a new face that Danny was burning into his memory. Steve’s mouth went slack and his eyes shut as he released his own long ribbon of semen between them. Danny had never seen him look so amazing.

 

Danny wrapped himself around Steve, uncaring about the mess between them. He knew if he tried to stand now he would surely pass out. He was not about to give Steve that kind of satisfaction. He was just going to have to soak their mess out of his chest hair in the morning.

 

“I meant everything I said, Danny,” Steve mumbled into Danny’s hair.

 

Danny lifted his head and kissed Steve, “So did I. Especially the part about not thinking tonight, fight about it tomorrow.”

 

Steve pulled Danny closer to him. It only took a few deep breaths before Danny let himself sink it to the security of being with Steve. There were no ghosts, no ex-girlfriends, and no worry here. Tonight, for the first time in a long time, Danny wasn’t looking forward to the sun coming up.

 

 


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He had slept so good in Steve’s arms last night, but he knew it was only a matter of time before he would have to deal with Jason and his paranormal bullshit again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> editing done my 4thofFive
> 
> all other mistakes are my own
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

The morning sunlight played off the waves that rolled just beyond the edge of Steve’s property. Danny had already finished his coffee and was admiring the view from the window above the kitchen sink. His hands braced against the counter as he looked out at the bright day.  His thoughts were a million miles away from the beauty of the surf.

 

Warm arms slipped around Danny’s waist slowly, pulling him flush against Steve’s long lean body. Steve pressed a couple of kisses along Danny’s jaw. He was still warm from the shower. Much to Danny’s surprise, Steve hadn't jumped right out of bed and take off for the ocean for a swim. He had lingered in bed a while, not long, but enough to let Danny know there were no regrets about what they had done. Danny was able to shower first, without anyone around to time him. He had settled in with a cup of coffee and waited for Steve's return.

 

“Hey,” Steve breathed into Danny’s ear.

 

He closed his eyes and lolled his head back on Steve’s shoulder. For a moment all his concerns melted away and he just let himself be taken by the arms that were wrapped around him. Danny laced his fingers with Steve’s and took a deep breath. He couldn’t stay in this perfect cocoon of Steve’s forever, not when they had bigger issues to deal with, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to try.

 

“You okay?” Steve kissed Danny’s cheek again.

 

“Yeah, just holding on to the last few moments of perfection,” Danny sighed. “Thanks for the toothbrush. You’ve redeemed your Boy Scout status. Oh, and the clothes, too. However, I thought you brought some of my things.”

 

“You’re welcome,” Steve smiled against Danny’s neck. “I did, but forgive me if in my haste to run from the ghost I forgot a few things. Besides, I like seeing you in my clothes. Even if it looks like you’re swimming in them. Something about that ass of yours in my board shorts, and the words Navy on your back makes me want to go back up stairs and...”

 

Steve’s words trailed off as he spun Danny around and pressed him back against the counter. Danny didn't resist, not when he kissed him like Danny was the best thing since casual cargo pants. All he could do was wind his arms around Steve’s neck and try to give as good as he got and hope his knees didn’t give out. Steve was a man who kissed like he was on a mission. What he lacked in words he made up with his body language; and Danny really should have seen that coming.

 

“Okay, Romeo,” Danny panted as he tore himself away. “I’m too old to go to work with a stiff neck from making out.”

 

Steve gifted him with the most endearing smile and one last kiss before he started puttering around the kitchen.

 

 “I don’t have much, but you need to eat something, Danny.”

 

“I’m not hungry,” Danny knew it was the wrong answer as soon as he said it.

 

Steve spun around from the cabinet he had been searching in and looked Danny over critically.

 

“Are you okay? Did you have another dream?”

 

“No, I’m just worried about this weekend and what I’m going to do. I want to find out what is on those tapes. But I’m going to have to put the ghostbusting on hold because I have Grace. I get her afterschool-”

 

“Till Tuesday morning, I know,” Steve smiled. “I do pay attention.

 

“I know,” Danny smiled. “This is just a lot and I don’t want her around it, plus I promised to help her with her social studies project.”

 

“The paranormal part is a lot, Danny,” Steve leaned back against the kitchen island. “Is that the only part

you don’t want her around? Or is this between us apart of it, too? Because I don’t want to add to your stress, babe. Believe me I don’t.”

 

 

“No,” Danny groaned running his hands up and down Steve’s arms. “Yes. I don’t know. I know it seems like I wear my heart on my sleeve, or if I have an opinion I let everyone know it. But there are parts of me that I don’t talk about.”

 

“Like the real reason you don’t like the ocean?”

 

“Exactly,” Danny cupped Steve’s face. “Or my claustrophobia, my minor arachnophobia, and my sexuality. They aren’t things I think need to be broadcast.”

 

"Wait! You're afraid of spiders? How did I not know that?" Steve wracked his brain.

 

"It's minor," Danny waved his hand. "Can you focus, please?"

 

Steve rolled his eyes but still seemed upset with himself for yet something else he didn't know about Danny.

 

"If I had ever met a guy before now I would have handled it, just like if a situation would arise were I would be faced with an enclosed space, the open ocean, or eight legged creatures. I'm not sure what the fear of introducing your child to your significant other is, but you saw how long it took me to let Grace meet Gabby.”

 

“Does your family know about your sexuality?” Steve asked.

 

“Some of them. Again, it never became an issue so I never made it one. I know it’s lame. I’m damn near 40 years old and I still haven’t come out to my family, but I want to do this right, Steven. What about you? Does Mary know?”

 

Steve shook his head, “No, Navy kept me quiet, but I can’t imagine she will care.”              

“No, nor do I think our friends here will care. And I don’t care if they know. I just don’t want Grace in on it yet, not right now. Especially with all this going on.”

 

“You afraid I’ll do something stupid?” Steve tried to joke, but there was a vulnerable tone of hesitation in his voice.

 

“No. No, babe. Relationships...they suck. We suck at them. There I said it. But you mean something to me. Everything, really. I don’t want to screw this up. And we are the middle of an unbelievably fucked up situation with a ghost and that just adds pressure to a situation where the odds are already stacked against us.”

 

Steve’s hands moved up Danny’s back guiding him closer, “I promise you Danny that I’m going to do everything in my power not to screw this thing up between us. You’re everything to me too and I’ll do anything I can to protect you from what’s happening. I’ll wait however long you need me to when it comes to telling Grace and your family.”

 

“It won’t be long,” Danny bumped his nose against Steve’s. “You’re not a stranger to Grace. She loves you already. My parents have already heard all about you. And my sisters, who know I’m bi, already suspect. I just need some time. We need time to do this thing right. And I’d like to be ghost free first.”

 

“Defeat the evil ghost and win the heart of the prince, got it,” Steve grinned.

 

“Insufferable dork,” Danny laughed.

 

“Seriously though, like you said, Grace and I get along great already. You guys should just stay here this weekend. She has a social studies project due on ancient Hawaii. I can help her with that so you can rest.”

 

Danny wanted to protest, he really did. Spending time with his daughter was what he lived for, but his body was still weak and he didn’t want spend the money on a hotel or have to explain why they were staying at Aunt Kono’s house while she was at Uncle Adam’s. Staying with Uncle Steve would be much easier to explain.

 

“You think you can keep your hands to yourself all weekend?” Danny looked down at himself then back up at Steve who looked perplexed.

 

“She’s got to sleep sometime.”

 

“Steven!”

 

Danny may have scowled at him but his arms wrapped around Steve’s waist, his fingers slipping under the hem of Steve’s shirt and sweeping gently over the skin he found there. That was when he felt something he hadn’t felt last night. Granted, last night this area of Steve’s back wasn’t exactly where he had his hands, and things had moved so fast he didn’t get to explore the way he had always wanted to.

 

“What’s this?” Danny asked running his fingers over a small line of raised skin.

 

“A scratch or something,” Steve muttered looking back behind him. “You mind not poking at it?”

 

“It’s shaped funny.”

 

“I don’t know. You were a little enthusiastic last night,” Steve said with a chuckle.

 

“Very funny,” Danny rolled his eyes. “Turn around and let me see.”

 

“Danny, you scratched me. It’s no big deal.”

 

“I did not scratch you! My nails are not long enough to make this kind of a welt and I don’t think I ever got my hands on your lower back.”

 

Once Steve had his back to him, Danny pushed up his shirt and found a small strange scratch in the middle of his lower back. It was just to the left of his spine and almost perfectly in line with it.

 

“Holy shit,” Danny fished out his cell phone.

 

“What? What is it?”

 

“It looks like the letter ‘P’ has been scratched into your back. Just to the left of your spine, right where a tramp stamp would be,” Danny held the shirt up with his left hand while he tried to take a picture on his phone.

 

“A tramp stamp?” Steve parroted back trying to look over his shoulder.

 

“Hold still,” Danny finished getting the picture before putting Steve’s shirt down.

 

Both men looked at the picture that definitely looked like the letter ‘P’ written in Steve’s flesh.

 

“What the hell?” Steve glared at the phone.

 

“Do you remember feeling that?” Danny asked.

 

“I felt something,” Steve said after a long pause. “It was in your bathroom. After I saw that warrior in your shower. It felt like something hot was on my back. Like something was burning.”

 

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Danny asked slapping Steve in the arm.

 

“I was distracted!” Steve yelled back shrugging his shoulders dramatically. “I just saw this freaky black-eyed ghost of an ancient Hawaiian warrior followed by your wet naked hug. So I’m sorry that somewhere in between those two events - which took place only minutes apart - I felt something burning on my back and was too distracted to mention it.”

 

Danny pressed the heels of his palms into his eyes. He had slept so good in Steve’s arms last night, but he knew it was only a matter of time before he would have to deal with Jason and his paranormal bullshit again. But to know that this ghost asshole harmed Steve and there was nothing Danny could do about it infuriated him.

 

“You don't really think that this happened at your house?” Steve asked. “Can ghosts do that?”

 

“I’m beyond asking what they can’t do, babe. I’m on to what won’t they do.”

 

“That settles it,” Steve said firmly. “Gracie will not be staying in that house where this or anything else could happen to her, and neither will you. I don’t care if you want to stay with Chin or Kono, I don’t care. But I will not let you stay in that house another night alone.”

 

The argument was cut off when Steve’s phone started ringing.

 

“Yeah, Chin....Are you serious? Tell her good work. We’re on our way.”

 

“What is it? A case?” Danny backed away from Steve.

 

“No,” Steve was already starting to seethe. “Kono found Ryna Awana.”                     ____________________________________________________________

 

They made a quick stop by Danny’s place just long enough to grab the rest of the items he and Grace would need for the weekend and the tapes. Danny wasn’t really anxious to see or hear what was on them, but he knew Steve was. He’d already placed a call to Toast asking, demanding really, that he come to HQ and use their equipment to review the tapes while he and Danny talked to Ryna. Danny really didn’t want to talk to her either, but he needed answers. He needed some validation from her as much as he did those damn tapes.

 

When they got there, Kono and Chin were sitting in the conference room with Ryna. The young woman was slumped over in her seat. Her wild mess of hair hiding most of her face making her look like some haggard, exotic version of Cousin It. Despite what he couldn't see of her, Danny could tell she looked no better than the last time he had seen her. She did not appear to be free from her spiritual burden.

 

 Danny could feel the cold wind coming off his partner as he brushed past him. He knew the other man all too well. Danny reached out and latched on to Steve’s arm pulling him back before he could reach the door. There was a hint of confusion on Steve’s face when he was faced with resistance. It was barely there underneath the storm that was brewing in the Navy man.

 

“Ho, hey,” Danny said quietly. “Time out for a second.”

 

“What? Are you okay?” Steve stepped in front of Danny blocking him from the conference room. “I can handle this myself if you need me too.”

 

“It’s not me I’m worried about, babe.”

 

The taller man shifted his weight between his feet and let out a huff. Danny put his hands on his hips and glared up at Steve, not giving in. Their silent battle lasted only a few seconds before Steve cracked first.

 

“Okay, I’ll go easy on the woman who pointed a homicidal ghost in your direction,” Steve rolled his eyes. “No problem.”

 

“Steve,” Danny wrapped his hand around Steve’s wrist. “I’m just saying let’s hear her out first. If she went through anything like I’ve gone through...she’s a kid with no one, no support. I’m having a hard enough time dealing with this and I have you and everyone else helping me.”

 

Steve nodded and took a few breaths before he let them join their teammates. The sulking woman’s head snapped up as soon as she heard the glass door open. Her face crumpled the moment she saw Danny step in behind Steve. Kono was sitting next to the woman, looking as though she were trying to be sympathetic, but by her pinched expression they could see she had gotten nowhere. Chin got up and met Steve and Danny by the door.

 

“Is she saying anything?” Steve asked.

 

“Not much. She just wanted to know if Danny was still alive.”

 

Danny placed a light touch on Steve’s back to remind him of their earlier conversation. Steve’s type of interrogation skills were bound to get them nowhere.

 

“Kono spotted her this morning when she was getting gas. Ryna tried to run, but Kono said it was like she ran out of air. The girl couldn’t breathe and just gave up. Then once we got her here she only asked about Danny. She said she can’t talk about anything else.”

 

“Toast should be here soon,” Danny jerked his thumb back toward the bullpen. “You wanna help him get all set up?”

 

“Yeah,” Chin nodded then turned his head back to the women at the table. “Kono.”

 

Kono got up and nodded to her teammates before she followed Chin out. The men flanked Ryna on either side, trying to be as nonthreatening as possible. Danny sat down next to her, while Steve loomed over her, despite Danny’s warning glare.

 

“Miss Awana? Ryna,” Danny said softly. “I think you know what we need to talk to you about.”

The woman slowly lifted her head. Her sunken cheeks were streaked with tears and her once brown eyes seemed pale like milky coffee.

 

“It didn’t make things better,” She mumbled. “He’s gone, but I felt worse knowing what I- what he was gonna do to you.”

 

“Do you admit that you ...cast a spell or whatever to give your brother’s spirit to Danny?” Steve asked.

 

She pushed the hair from her face and tried to take in a breath of air, but it just seemed like she was having trouble.

 

“I was just supposed to get somethin’ of his. Pass my blood, my brother’s, onto it. Then talk to my brother on that board. Then he said he’d leave.”

 

“But you knew what he would do? You know what he has planned for Detective Williams?”

 

Steve’s voice was progressively getting louder and when Danny caught his eye Danny motioned him to sit. Strangely enough, Steve did. He gave him ‘I don’t like being told what to do face’, but he did it.

 

“I can’t talk about it. He said he’d kill me!”

 

“Ryna, I need you to talk to me,” Danny said laying a tentative hand on her shoulder. “I’m working on getting rid of him for good, but I can’t do that without some more information.”

 

“But the dreams,” Ryna stared at him, willing him to understand. “He’d be on top of me and stabbing me with that snake knife he has. Killing me like he did all those poor animals.”

 

There was a sudden rush that swept through Danny as his heart fell to his stomach. He looked over to Steve who was watching him intently. Danny knew that knife. He could still remember the feeling of it ripping through his own flesh. This poor girl had felt it too, and it seemed, more times than Danny had.

 

“Look at yourself,” Danny said. “He's already killing you and he’s going to do the same thing to me if you don’t help me stop him.”

 

The woman just shook her head and looked as though she were going to cry again. Steve on the other hand, straightened himself up and looked ready to charge in. Danny had to scramble for a new approach.

 

Danny leaned back and dug his phone out of his pocket, “Okay, you don’t want to do it for me or you fine. But I think you should know that here is someone else who you got involved in all this.”

 

Danny held his phone up and showed her the picture of Grace that served as his wallpaper. The woman flinched at the sight and stared at Danny confused.

 

“This is my daughter. My little girl. What’s stopping Jason from turning on her? Huh?”

 

“You have a kid?” Ryna said and this time she did start to cry again. “Jason said you were alone. Alone and miserable.”

 

“No,” Danny put his phone in front of her so she would still see Grace. “I’m not alone. I have a family. A large family here and on the mainland. But my little girl, she’s my life. She could be hurt the way I was hurt, the way you were hurt, by Jason. Please, help me protect my daughter.”

 

The woman blinked her watery eyes and Danny then looked over to Steve.

 

“She means the world to us,” Steve added. “All we want to do is end this. Tell us about Jason.”

 

“What do you want to know?” Ryna asked defeated.

 

“He was in to Satanism?” Danny asked.

 

She nodded, “Just stupid shit. Acting out cause we were alone. Got caught up with some weird ass kids. Wearing black, killing animals for sacrifice. He was always getting into fights over it. He would get tattoos to honor his master. I wanted nothing to do with it or him. But then some of those kids got busted, some moved away. That's when he got messed up with that gang. They didn’t like his weird shit so he kept it under wraps, but apparently he never stopped. When he died he started coming to me in my sleep. Terrible dreams. Then other ghosts started showin’ up.  Jason would make them do things. Some kind of sick puppet master who can control the dead, it's not natural.”

 

“How? How is he doing this?” Steve pressed.

 

“I don’t know. I hadn’t talked to him for months. Before that anytime he would call it would just be for money. I never felt comfortable around him because of the devil stuff.”

 

“He would communicate to you through the dreams?” Steve asked.

 

“Yeah. He said I needed to find Danny. I resisted, but the dreams got worse. The things that went on around the house got worse. I use to sit outside of your building here, waiting, but I couldn’t bring myself to approach you,” Ryna said to Danny. “When I got the call you were in Chinatown I wasn’t going to go, but I was attacked...by Jason. I got three long scratches down my back. It was a warning.”

 

The men exchanged knowing glances. Steve’s marking wasn’t the same, but he had been mysteriously scratched as well.

 

“Did he tell you why he wants me? Just to torment me?”

 

 “No, it’s worse that than,” She sobbed. “He said he wanted to kill you so he could take you to hell with him.”

 

A shudder went down Danny’s spine. The woman in front of him was dying slowly because of this ghost and the process had already started with him. Steve was rubbing his hand over his face in frustration. Danny knew it was tormenting Steve to be facing something he couldn’t fight.

 

They got the woman calmed down and called Max. They knew he would have a few questions for her, and Danny wanted a doctor to look her over. Chin, Kono, and Toast were going over the footage in Chin’s office. Danny was anxious to know what they had captured, if anything, but right now he just couldn’t face it.

 

As soon as Max got there, Danny made a beeline for Steve’s office knowing full well he would be followed. He didn’t say a word as Steve closed the blinds, while he paced in front of the desk. It was a clear sign they were not to be disturbed for the time being. He sat on the arm of the sofa, letting Danny have his moment.

 

“This is unbelievable,” Danny said. “I’m supposed to be picking my daughter up in a few hours, I have three hours’ worth of paper work that still needs to be done, and I’m faced with someone who is literally wanting to drag me to hell.”

 

Steve left his perch to pull Danny into his arms. Danny didn’t fight him, he fanned his hands out on Steve’s chest feeling his heart beat under his palms, while Steve gripped his hands on Danny’s hips. It felt so natural, like they had been doing this for years.

 

“Stop,” Steve said. “We’re going to figure this out.”

 

“He can’t really do this right?” Danny started rambling. “He can’t really kill me? Ghosts can’t kill people. Let alone drag people to hell. I mean, I’ve done some things in my past, but I don’t know if they warrant me going to hell. I guess I should have gone to mass more.”

 

“You’re not dying and you’re not going to hell,” Steve snapped. “I know you have difficulties in your beliefs, but believe me when I say that you are too good a person to be condemned to hell. And I will not let him have you.”

 

“Oh what, he kills me you going to get yourself killed too and follow us? That way you can finally kick his ass in person, so to speak?” Danny started laughing his scared hysterical laugh, but noticed Steve’s face was unchanged. “Do not take me seriously McGarrett.”

 

“No one is going to die, Danny,” Steve leaned in and kissed Danny quickly before pulling him in for a tight hug. “I’m not losing you now.

 

Steve’s arms were so tight around Danny, like he was afraid Jason was actually going to physically pull Danny away from him at any moment. Danny buried his face in Steve’s chest and breathed in all there was to Steve that made him feel strong and secure. He needed that because they still had a Grace filled weekend ahead of them. If things didn’t get straightened out soon he was going to have to explain to Rachel why they were always at Steve’s house. This was a little sooner than he planned on having that discussion. But Danny feared it would only be a matter of time before Jason would be able to find Danny, no matter where he went, making it impossible to be around his daughter and keep her safe. The thought made him shudder again and cling more tightly to Steve.

 


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Instead of another plant or cooking utensil, Danny was instead handed a small, rectangular box. The soft velvet of the box felt strangely good in Danny’s hand. He lifted a questioning eye to Steve who only shrugged in an encouraging way for him to open it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Editing done by 4thofFive
> 
> Any other mistakes are my own  
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sun had set on yet another postcard perfect day. Danny had just finished putting the leftovers from dinner away and was observing his loved ones in the study. The whole scene was downright domestic. Danny and Grace moved around Steve’s house with such ease, like this was just any other evening in their normal lives.

Grace had bought the story that Danny’s house had an infestation problem, thus their need to stay with Steve while they called an exterminator. She was just as content to be seated next to Steve asking him questions about Hawaiian history as she was at home sitting next to Danny on the sofa watching TV. Danny’s heart melted a little inside. He would have gladly joined them had he not just got a call from Toast.

Toast, Chin, and Kono had spent the afternoon going through all the video footage from Danny’s place. It was a long and arduous task, and for some reason his usually outgoing ghosts were playing coy. By the time he and Steve had left to collect Grace, all they had was the EVP Steve had recorded of Jason calling Danny a haole queer.

“I almost gave up, but it’s there plain as day, Jersey,” Toast said on the other line.

Danny moved out to the front porch to make sure that Grace would in no way hear what was being said. He sank down into one of the chairs, not trusting his knees to handle the weight of whatever news he was about to get. His natural instinct was to curl up into a ball, but he had two people inside that he needed to be strong for right now.

“Did you forward it to Max?”

“Yeah, we already took care of that. I also e-mailed it to you as an MP3. I got one still image that happened right after the EVP. It’s freaky as hell, man. Full body apparition and the eyes look like they are glowing. I’ll let you be the judge on who you think it is. I attached it in the e-mail too. It’s pretty wicked.”

“Okay, Toast I know you’re excited,” Danny grit his teeth, “But can you slow down and remember this isn’t just one of your cases, this is my life. You said you caught an EVP when Steve was setting up a camera in the bedroom. I wasn’t in the room?”

“Right. You were in the living room. The whole thing is real quick. In the video I see Steve look down the hall to see where you were. You’ll hear it on the audio, but Steve addresses Jason directly. He challenges him, not a good idea by the way. Then...well you’ll just have to hear the response. Then you come in the room and that’s all we got.”

A bright flash of light hit Danny and had him jumping nearly out of his seat. The loud rumble of an engine had him biting his tongue to stop himself from cursing out loud at his overly skittish nature.

“Jersey?” Toast called out through the phone.

“Yeah, thanks. I mean it. I’m sorry to take you away from...whatever it is you do when you’re not working, but really, thanks.”

“No, worries. I’m touching base with your friend Max again. We’re going to set up a full investigation and get this all straightened out. Hang in there, bro.”

"Yeah,” Danny grumbled into the phone before he disconnected the line.

His attention was on the car that had pulled into the drive and the very large shape of a man who was walking to the door.

“Howzit, brah?” Kamekona announced himself as he reached the porch.

“Terrible, you?”

“I heard you are having a problem with the spirit world.”

“Of course you have,” Danny rolled his eyes and got out of his seat.

The large man, dressed in yet another brightly colored self-advertising shirt, was holding two bags in one of his meaty hands. His face was filled with deep concern and the need to help. As much grief as Danny had given the guy over the years, he couldn’t help but be won over by his puppy dog eyes. And Kamekona had some killer puppy dog eyes.

“Who told you?”

“Chin Ho called. He said that girl isn’t doing too good .”

“Uh, no,” Danny shrugged. “Max wanted to get her checked into the hospital to get some fluids and rest, but she wouldn’t do it.”

“Poor wahine,” he shook his head. “I’ve been coordinating with your team. I know some people and how to get some supplies to help you.”

 “Ah,” Danny nodded and pointed to the bag. “Supplies?”

 “Yup.” Kamekona opened the first bag and pulled out a bundle of pale green weeds that had a strange smell to them. “Sage. You use it to smudge the house.”

 “Smudge? What is smudge?”

 Steve opened the front door swiftly and answered, “You burn the sage like incense and move it from room to room, ordering the spirit out of your home.

“Okay, when did you become a regular Egon Spangler?” Danny pointed at Steve who just shrugged, then to Kamekona he asked. “And you want me to burn cooking spices to chase a ghost away?”

“I also brought Ti leaves, a Koa wood bowl, and some sea salt for purification and blessings,” Kamekona said digging through the bag. “Oh! And this because Chin said you were raised a Catholic and this guy was into some lolo devil stuff. Max said we have to be careful of that.”

 Instead of another plant or cooking utensil, Danny was instead handed a small, rectangular box. The soft velvet of the box felt strangely good in Danny’s hand. He lifted a questioning eye to Steve who only shrugged in an encouraging way for him to open it.

 “If this is your class ring...” Danny joked. “I just want to warn you the quarterback already gave me his letterman’s jacket.”

  “Just open it,” Kamekona said.

Danny did and was in utter shock by what he saw. He had owned one when he was younger, but it had been a very long time since he had one. Steve moved closer to look inside the box himself.

 “It’s a rosary,” Danny’s mouth felt dry. “I don’t know what to say.”

 Danny ran his fingers over the silver medallion and cross. It was cool to the touch, but inviting. It was familiar, like home, no matter how much he wanted to put that part of his life behind him. The beads were brown with dark almost black swirling streaks in them. Near the medallion of Mary and the Cross were tiny white opaque stones. Danny had a good idea what this stone was, but he couldn’t believe it.

 “It’s a custom made job,” Kamekona said. “I have a cousin who knows a guy. It’s made from real silver, the beads are made from Koa wood from here in Hawaii and those are pearls from Hawaii, too. It’s a good mix of the mainland and Hawaiian traditions. Just like you now, braddah.”

 “It’s too much,” Danny said closing the box and handing it back. “It’s got to be expensive.”

“He owed me!” Kamekona shook his head and pushed it back. “It’s already done. Take it.”

“Thank you. I...”

 Danny couldn’t come up with anything else to say. He just stared at the box and back up at the smiling man. There was another bag in native man’s hand that hadn’t been mentioned yet.

 “What’s in that bag?”

 “Oh, this. I brought some of your favorite coco puffs, malasadas, and some of my shrimp. Comfort food. Good for the soul.”

“Steven, take the bags,” Danny said.

  “Okay,” Steve replied with a little laugh taking the items from Kamekona.

As soon as he did, Danny opened his arms and embraced the large man in a hug. He could hear the sound of Steve patting Kamekona on the back. There was a great swell of comradery in Danny. Kamekona laughed and passed the whole thing off as if it were nothing before he said his goodbyes.

Much later that evening, Danny wandered downstairs through the dark house. Only a few lights had been left on. They had dropped the subject of ghosts after Kamekona had left in favor of spending time with Grace. But now Danny knew there was business to attend too.

The soft hum of Steve’s laptop guided Danny to the dining room. Danny found Steve already bringing up the e-mail Toast sent. Just as Danny was about to join him he heard the vibrating hum of Steve’s phone. It had been setting to the left of the laptop. Steve glanced at it briefly and hit the ignore button. That was the third call Steve had ignored today, or at least the third call Danny had noticed. He hadn’t brought it up, but he had an idea of who was calling.

 “Please tell me you did not just break into my e-mail?” Danny grumbled sitting next to Steve.

 “You can barely work your e-mail,” Steve jabbed. “I’m just trying to save us some time, dear.”

 “Very funny. I just need time to get used to new devices. If they wouldn’t change things every time I turn around, and if Chin wouldn’t be updating things at work every two minutes, I might be able to catch up.”

 There was a coy smile and a glint in Steve’s eyes that was anything but flattering to Danny.

“I swear, Steven if you call me old I will hit you right in the nuts,” Danny slapped his open palm on Steve’s thigh and gave it a good squeeze, then left it there.

 “I would never,” Steve said in mock protest.

 “Good because you’re right up there with me, sweetheart,” Danny rolled his eyes.

 “Grace asleep?”

 “Like a rock.”

Danny turned his gaze to the e-mail from Toast. It was open and waiting for Steve to download the attachments. He thought back to what life was like just two hours ago when he was lounging on the sofa, his daughter next to him, dividing her time between texting and watching TV. Steve was sitting in the armchair, casually sharpening one of his million knives, chiming in every so often to make Grace laugh. As odd a combination as they made, it felt good and he wanted to hold on to that precious feeling because now it was time to face real life. This was what Jason Awana had reduced him too, a coward who wanted to run. A weak, frail coward who would rather hide behind Steve than fight. That went against everything Danny was. He shook off all the cowardly feelings he knew Jason was trying to fill his brain with and focused on the screen.

 Steve’s warm hand wrapped around Danny’s neck and he asked, “Hey, you with me?”

“Yeah. No. I just want this over with,” Danny drifted his sad eyes up to Steve who looked so helpless, and that only made Danny feel worse.

“Me too,” Steve pressed his lips against Danny’s forehead for a quick kiss. “You don’t have to be here for this. Not now. You can just forget about this for the weekend.”

 “No. We’re going to do this,” Danny summoned as much strength as he could to convince Steve he was ready.

Steve kissed Danny soundly before he looked back at the screen. There was an instant loss of warmth and security when Steve removed his hand from Danny's neck but Danny had to keep telling himself to get over it. He needed to be stronger than this, all the while the hand he had on Steve’s leg was fisting at the material of Steve’s sweat pants.

 “Okay,” Steve said as he hovered the mouse over the attachment. “Let’s see this picture first.”

Just before Steve clicked on the picture, Danny felt a large hand slip over his. Danny instantly eased up a bit. He flattened his palm out on Steve’s leg and let Steve slot their fingers together.

 “Let’s do this,” Danny grunted.

 

 

           

 

 

 


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There was a screwed up expression of wonderment and disgust on Steve’s face as he stared at the screen. This was clearly something he had never encountered in any of his umpteen classifieds mission’s Danny would never know about.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> edited by 4thofFive ! So thankful
> 
> All other mistakes found our my own  
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The moment was lost quickly when they saw the picture that filled the screen. In the video the room was dark, but Steve stood like a glowing guardian figure in the center of the frame. The night vision camera created an effect that illuminated unnatural pale green light. Steve was striking a commanding pose, hands on his hips jaw raised. His eyes were glowing like the reflective flare of an animal’s eye’s caught in the glare of headlights, but his were not the only set of glowing eyes in the picture.

 

Just over Steve shoulder, in the doorway of the bedroom, Steve and Danny could see another set of eyes. The light in them was not as bright as Steve’s but there was no mistaking them. A wispy outline of a face with a twisted grin was unmistakable. It tapered off into shoulders and the white outline of a wife-beater that Danny could only make out because he had seen this image too many times before.

 

Smoky trails like tentacles reached out from the doorway, six in all, and they were reaching for Steve. Two were curled around each of his thighs, two had disappeared out of view behind Steve’s back, and the last two curled around his upper arms. They were so faint and barely there that, before this whole nightmare that had become his life, Danny would have probably argued had to be a malfunction with the camera. But he knew that face behind Steve’s. He knew if even if it was just a thin, one-dimensional slice of what he had been experiencing night after night: it was Jason Awana.  Jason was there. Jason was alone with Steve, touching him. Danny’s free hand tightened into a fist, the other squeezed Steve’s hand tightly.

 

“What the hell?” Steve asked after several moments of silence. “That looks like a face behind me – kinda. Doesn’t it? And what’s with the weird arm things on me?”

 

There was a screwed up expression of wonderment and disgust on Steve’s face as he stared at the screen. This was clearly something he had never encountered in any of his umpteen classifieds mission’s Danny would never know about.

 

“That’s Awana,” Danny’s voice sound more raw and frustrated than he intended, but there wasn’t much holding him back from blowing his stack at the moment. “That is the sick son of a bitch who has been ruining my life, and he’s got his...whatevers on you.”

 

“That’s him?” Steve looked over to Danny then back at the screen. “Are you sure?”

 

“Am I sure?” Danny growled back at him. “Of course I’m fucking sure. The man has only dream raped and killed me a handful of times, I think I know him when I see him.”

 

“Hey,” Steve’s voice immediately shifted to concern, he took Danny’s hand in both of his. “It’s okay. I’m fine.”

 

“No you’re not,” Danny hissed trying desperately to keep his voice down so as not to wake his sleeping daughter. “You have the letter ‘P’ scratched into your back. He’s trying to send me a message that he can get to you. Now he’s done it for the cameras.”

 

Steve’s face dropped as Danny’s words began to sink in. He took his hands away from Danny so he could hide his face behind them.

 

“It don’t think that message was specifically for you,” Steve said freeing one hand to wave it at the screen.

 

Danny’s face scrunched up in confusion before a wave of pissed off fear hit him with full force as he remembered what Toast had said to him on the phone.

 

“Steven J. McGarrett, what did you do?” Danny asked in his firm paternal voice.

 

Steve sighed and rolled his shoulders, “I may have said some things at the moment this picture was taken that may have provoked Jason.”

 

Danny swallowed hard and nodded, “There is an audio thing, or EVP, whatever, to go with this?”

 

“Yeah,” Steve didn’t make eye contact.

 

“Play it and let me hear what you may have done before I decide exactly how deep in the shithole you have gotten yourself.”

 

“With you or the ghost?” Steve said with a hint of a nervous smile.

 

“Really?” Danny growled.

 

Steve went silent and brought up the audio file with the EVP that would seal his fate. At first all they heard was the constant static of white noise, but three seconds in Steve’s voice boomed over everything.

 

“Awana...Awana if you can hear me you piece of garbage I want you to know you were nothing but a dispensable gun, a small time nobody. A  nobody I personally put away. You got shanked in prison, not that anyone cared. You want revenge on Danny for taking your worthless excuse for a life but you’re looking in the wrong place. He was following orders, my orders. I ordered him to shoot to kill.  I wanted you dead. You think you’re something now that you’re dead? Come after me. Let’s see what you got, tough guy.”     

 

Steve had his eyes shut, pinching the bridge of his nose unable to look at Danny. That didn’t stop Danny from glaring at the man like he had two heads. That was Steve’s voice, but that sounded nothing like the man Danny knew. That was the voice of military-tough-guy-bullshit. By the time Steve’s monologue was done and Danny realized his self-sacrificing end game, Danny was ready to throttle his partner.

 

There was the roar of white noise for five more seconds. Long enough that Danny was almost ready to start bursting into a rant about Steve’s stupidity when a low rumble came through the speakers. It sounded like a growl on the low end of the bass, but as it got louder it began to sound like a distant laugh. A twisted, crazed laugh from someone who was standing several feet away from the camera’s microphone. Steve and Danny’s eyes were both glued to the screen now, as if it were going to yield some clue of what was to come, but it wouldn’t. They sat anxiously and waited as the laughing slowed.

 

“You’re mine pig.....Steve...”

 

The trailing voice had Steve and Danny both leaning in closer to hear what was being said. They waited three more seconds after they heard Steve’s name, then five. Suddenly a loud guttural growl flooded the speakers causing both men to jump back in their seats. With that the audio file ended and all either of them could hear is the sound of their hearts pounding in their ears.

 

“What is wrong with you?” Danny demanded as he ran his shaking hands through his hair.

 

“I didn’t know it was going to do that!” Steve defended himself. “Toast should have given us a warning or something.”

 

“No, you giant mook!” Danny slapped Steve on the arm. “What is wrong with you saying that stuff to Jason? Toast said it’s not a good idea to challenge...whatever he is now. And since you are some paranormal expert now you should know this.”

 

Danny punched Steve in the shoulder and was about to swing again, but Steve grabbed both of Danny’s wrists.

 

“Calm down, Danny. Grace is asleep,” Steve said firmly. “I was just trying a thing.”

 

“A thing?” Danny spat his words back at him, while trying to pull away to no avail. “A thing that

could get you hurt or worse?”

 

“Hey,” Steve tugged Danny’s wrist pulling him in closer. “What happened to ‘your problems are my problems’? What happened to ‘I’ve always got your back’?”

 

“I’m the one who came up with those lines.”

 

“I know, but they mean something to me,” Steve held Danny’s eyes with his. “You mean something to me, and I won’t let you fight this alone. No matter what I’m in this with you till the end. Danny, I know things are crazy right now, and this probably isn’t the best timing, but you gotta know that how I feel for you is -”

 

The soft buzzing against hardwood broke the spell of the moment. Steve let out an aggravated sigh. Whatever he was trying to say wasn’t easy for him and now he looked like he was ready to strap a grenade to his phone and launch it into the ocean.

 

Danny looked down at the illuminated phone that was skittering across the table. Catherine’s name  lit up the screen, which confirmed his earlier suspicions of who Steve had been ignoring all day.

 

“Why are you ducking her?” Danny asked, the fight gone from him for now.

 

“She wants to talk but I don’t want, too,” Steve hit the ignore button. “I told her I needed some time. To leave a message if she was in trouble or if it was an emergency, otherwise we...we’re done.”

 

“So, she doesn’t know about us yet?”

 

“No, I’m not telling anyone until you’re ready like you asked. I’m not dealing with her until we get this straightened out and I’m not dealing with any more ghost bullshit,” Steve shut the computer promptly. “Until Grace is gone. She and I still have a report to finish.”

 

Danny found himself smiling up at Steve who was equal parts frazzled and determined.

 

“What?” Steve couldn’t help but smile with Danny. “I told you. I got my priorities straight. I heard somewhere if you get your priorities straight, good things will start happening. So I’m trying that, okay?”

 

“Tell her. Tell Mary. Tell our people. When this is over with Awana, we’re going to tell Rachel, Grace, and my family,” Danny ran his hand up Steve’s arm.

 

“What? But you said -”

 

 “I know what I said,” Danny cupped Steve’s face in his hands and kissed him lightly. “But I’m not going anywhere, so it’s about time I get my priorities straight, too.”

 

Even in the dark room Steve’s goofy grin lit up his whole face. There was something else on the tip of his tongue, but Steve didn’t say it. Danny had a feeling he knew what it was, but he wasn’t going to push it. Steve leaned in and kissed Danny again.

 

“Danny, I think I’m -”

 

There was one solid vibration from Steve’s phone signaling he had a text. Steve cursed and pressed his forehead against Danny’s while he tried to compose himself. Danny, however, caught a glimpse of the lit up screen again.

 

“Call her so she’ll leave you alone for the rest of the weekend. Then we can head up to bed.”

 

“That would be nice, but we are sleeping in separate rooms remember?”

 

“Yes, but I thought a highly trained ninja such as yourself would be able to sleep – and I mean just sleep this time – in the same bed with me and sneak back in your room without an 11-year-old being any the wiser.”

 

“God you’re amazing,” Steve spoke against Danny’s lips before getting up from the chair and walking away with the phone.

 

Once Steve was gone, Danny sat alone with the laptop. He opened it up and looked again at the picture of Jason with Steve. A line had been crossed that day and Danny hadn’t even known it. It was one thing for this guy to come after him, it was another to come after Steve. But the question was would he stop there? They were planning an investigation Tuesday night after they took Grace home. If Jason hurt any of his friends, or attached himself to them, how could Danny protect them? How could Danny forgive himself for bringing this on them?

 

With a quick slap, Danny closed the computer. He clamored to his feet and put as much distance between it and him as he could. He bypassed Steve, who was outside on the phone with Catherine, and headed straight upstairs to wait for Steve.

 

It didn’t take long for Steve to sneak in the spare bedroom where Danny was staying. He was already in his sleeping pants and an ill-fitting tank top, which he removed as soon as he locked the bedroom door. Danny studied him carefully as Steve crossed the room silently and got into bed. The taller man, all tempting with his muscles and tattoos on display, lay next to Danny now and gave little away in his expression as to how his conversation went.

 

“Everything okay?” Danny asked softly.

 

“Yeah, good,” he shrugged. “Come here.”

 

He reached for Danny pulling him in for a kiss before trying to wrap his long arms around him. Danny knew it was a diversion and he quickly bobbed his way out of Steve’s reach and sat up against the headboard.

 

“It went okay? What did you tell her? How could she be okay with this?” he gestured between them.

 

Steve sat up next to Danny, “She took it as well as could be expected, okay? I told her about you and us. She didn’t seem all that surprised and she was hurt, but she’s a strong woman and she’ll be fine.”

 

“Yeah,” Danny nodded. “I am not one who typically steals his friend’s boyfriends, so for that I do feel kinda bad for Catherine, but...”

 

“But?”

 

Danny smiled at Steve, “But you’re just a whole lot of crazy I just can’t seem to live without and I don’t regret it.”

 

There was a flattered and humbled grin on Steve’s face before he swooped in for another kiss. A kiss that turned into another kiss that turned into hands pulling at each other, which lead to Steve crawling on top of Danny.

 

“Steve,” Danny said as he tore his lips from Steve’s. “Grace is in the other room.”

 

“Door is locked. She knocks on the door I can disappear in a matter of seconds,” Steve assured Danny with his voice rumbling in Danny’s ear.

 

He wanted to fight him on this. It really shouldn’t have been that hard, but that was the problem Danny was just too damn hard. He drew his knees up and widen them further, drawing in his prey.

 

“Yeah, well you better keep the volume down.”

 

“Me?” Steve said with a laugh and shifted his weight to one arm so he could slip his hand into Danny’s boxers, his fingers wrapping around the hard dick he found there.

 

“I was in the Navy if you remember. Close quarters sex silence is a specialty. Well, one of my specialties. The point is, you are the one we have to worry about. Although, I have one of your old ties I can gag you with. It’s on the top shelf of my closet.”

                       

As Steve talked his hand stroked Danny with a firm but languid pace while his own erection pressed against Danny’s thigh.

 

“Why the fuck do you have one of my old ties?” Danny whispered, bucking up into Steve’s hand.

 

“I know you don’t wear them much anymore, but I use it.” Steve licked a strip along Danny’s neck.  “For nights when I needed inspiration.”

 

“Oh fuck,” Danny groaned and somehow managed to flip both of them. “Quietly, and just this once, Steven. I mean it!”

 

 

 


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She parked her car out front of Danny's house. He wasn't home, but she knew he wouldn't be. She didn't call, but she should have. She knew all that going in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Editing done by 4thofFive 
> 
>  
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To say Gabby was in a foul mood was an understatement. Her trip had been cut short when one of the key speakers contracted a bacterial infection from a contaminated well in the Amazon. It was probably for the best, because with all that was going on Gabby had left the paper she'd been writing on a memory stick at Danny's. Luckily, she still had a chance to submit her paper to the right people, thus still having a shot at the curator position she was hoping for on the mainland, and possible getting her paper published.

 

She parked her car out front of Danny's house. He wasn't home, but she knew he wouldn't be. She didn't call, but she should have. She knew all that going in. She didn't want to ask him for any favors after how harsh she had been to him. It hadn't been her intention to act that way, it was just how she reacted to these sorts of things. She was raised religious, but her family was scientific as well. And as an anthropologist she'd studied groups of primitive, and not so primitive, peoples who would go to great extremes over nonsense superstitions. Not every bump in the night was a ghost or the telltale sign of their undoing.  While she had to respect it and learn from it, that didn’t mean she had to buy in to it. 

 

Danny, however, wasn't a member of some Pygmy tribe that sacrificed their last goat just to appease a vengeful God and save the life of their sick chief only to watch him die anyway. Danny was the man she had loved, still loved. Gabby shook her head and pushed out the bitter thoughts of the sobbing Pygmy tribe and the stunned look of hurt on Danny's face.

 

She still had an extra copy of his house key. Curiosity about what was happening in the house since she had been gone was getting the best of her. She needed to make sure Danny was doing okay. Her plan was to go in the house, get the memory stick, and leave.  Then she would go by Danny's work to drop the key off and see how he was doing. Maybe somehow she could try to make up for her behavior, but she wasn't sure how she was going to stomach being near Danny with Steve right there.

 

Gabby took a deep breath as she turned the key in the lock. In her mind she was picturing Steve. She couldn't imagine the man in her mind without Danny right next to him. That should have been a clue. She should have seen it all coming, but the truth was, if she let herself admit it, she had seen it coming.

 

The house was quiet and still. There was no foreboding air that kept Gabby away.  What hit her when she stepped inside was the smell of Danny. Warm and inviting, she was going to miss that. Then she noticed the tripods and cameras set up in the living room. She froze in place afraid they were recording, but the cameras didn't appear to be on.

 

She moved around the house and notice there were more cameras in the kitchen. This was very concerning because she had asked Steve to take care of Danny, not feed into his delusions. Danny had clearly seen something in the museum the other day, something that wasn't really there. That had frightened her enough call the man who had taken Danny away from her, even if Steve hadn't know yet what he had done.

 

She shook her head and hoped that Rachel didn't find out about this. Rachel worried enough about Danny and what kind of influence his job and his team had on Grace. She would have a real field day with this.

 

Gabby went to the small desk against the wall between the kitchen and the living room. She had left the memory stick in a drawer there, in a place she knew neither Grace nor Danny would bother it.

 

As she opened the desk drawer she heard sound from down the hall. She snapped her head to the right and looked toward the bedrooms, Danny's being at the end of the hall, and listened. At first there was nothing. Not even the sound of the air conditioner, even though Gabby was beginning to feel a chill. She shuddered as a cold breeze went up her spine. She huffed out a long breath and went back to the drawer. There were envelopes and papers in her way, but she found the black stick easily. She straightened up the contents of the drawer before shutting it.

 

This time she definitely heard footsteps and turned toward the hall with a start but there was nothing there. After an eternity of three seconds, she was about to curse herself for being so skittish when a flicker of movement had her frozen in place. It was the turning of the door knob to Danny's bedroom door. The door slowly swung open, casually, as if Danny were just taking a nap and coming out to greet her. But he wasn't there, no one was.

 

Gabby blinked her eyes a couple of times and wracked her brain for a rational explanation. That's when a dark leg stepped into view, followed by the dark man. He wasn't cast in shadow, more like a man dipped in black paint, but somehow darker.  All she could make out was that it was indeed a man. His pants were sagging and his bare arms were tensed, ready to strike. But it was his eyes that cut her to the quick. His eyes, glowing like molten gold, were staring straight at her. It stole her breathe and left her sinking against the desk.

 

A voice rumbled from the man. It moved with a cold breeze that swept around her and brushed past her ears saying, "Swine bitch."

 

Gabby gasped and the man leapt forward from the bedroom doorway, dissolving into a billowing cloud of black smoke. Thick arm-like extensions emerged from the cloud and reached out to her. She suddenly bolted for the door, but was engulfed by the cloud almost immediately. It plunged her into immediate darkness and had her stumbling blindly into furniture until she fell to the floor.  The cloud held her down with an unseen force and filled her mouth and nose with its thick smoke.

 

Gabby gagged and coughed while trying to fight her way free. Panic was setting in as she feared she was fighting for her life, and she was about to lose. She was about to die alone, killed by something she could not comprehend.

 

Gabby thought of her parents, her friends, of Danny finding her dead in his living room. She prayed to God, something she admittedly hadn't done in a while. But in the face of death there are few true atheists - or so she had found in her research. Gabby pleaded and begged with the mass, with God, with anyone or anything that would listen. This wasn't how she wanted it to end. This wasn't where she wanted her story to end.

 

                                                                      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The weekend slipped away too quickly in Danny's opinion. Steve kept his word, for the most part, and managed to control himself around Danny at night for the rest of Grace's stay. Much to Danny's delight Grace was a constant presence, never disappearing to text on her phone or plunk away on her laptop. She and Steve work diligently on her project and had it done by Saturday evening, leaving the rest of the weekend for better activities. Grace was pushing to get out of the house for dinner and a movie so that's exactly what they did. Danny didn't question it. Grace normally loved spending time with him, she hadn't reach the stage of total teenage parental separation yet, but he silently had to admit to himself that she had been awful clingy this weekend.

 

Monday had been Danny's first break from family time since Friday afternoon, not that he enjoyed it, but there was a ton of paper work still waiting on him. Thankfully though, staying with Steve and having his daughter close by helped him rest easy. Three blissful Jason-free nights wrapped in the strong arms of his new lover had Danny feeling better than ever, more certain than ever that he was going to be able to face whatever was at his house, or seal it up so it would never hurt anyone else. Then he could work on announcing to his family he'd taken up with a six foot solid wall of muscle and Navy SEAL insanity named McGarrett.

 

So when he got a call from his ex-wife explaining that Grace wasn't feeling well and asked to go home with her a day earlier than agreed, Danny felt like he'd been kicked in the gut. What was worse was the pitiful text messages from his darling daughter asking him not to be upset with her. Naturally he quelled her fears, but he was confused and concerned. Rachel wasn't giving up much information either.

 

Danny jumped up from his desk and strode out to the computer table where everyone was gathered.

 

Chin looked up at Danny first, "Everything okay?"

 

"No. Everything is not okay," Danny started, putting everyone on high alert. "My daughter has called her mother at school and asked her to pick her up. She isn't feeling well and doesn't want to come home with me."

 

"A sick kid usual wants their mother," Chin shrugged.

 

"Hey, I'm just as good at taking care of my daughter when she is sick as her mother is. Grace has been sick before when I had her and has never asked to go back to her mom, unless I was working a case."

 

What did Rachel say?" Kono asked resting her hip against the table.

 

"She said Grace told her she wasn't feeling well and she didn't want to go back to Steve's with it."

 

Danny hadn’t wanted to say that, but he didn't want lie either. As soon as he did, Steve's shoulders dropped like all the wind had left his sails.

 

"She was having such a good time," Steve said quietly.

 

"Babe," Danny said softly wrapping his hand around Steve's forearm. "It's not you. She said she was having 'girl issues', whatever that means."

 

"Oh," Kono said with great understanding. "No wonder she doesn't want to be around Uncle Steve."

 

"It can't be those girl issues," Danny snapped taking his hand from Steve. "She's too young

for...that."

 

"For her period, Danny. You can say it, its okay," Kono rolled her eyes.

 

"Wow, we are really talking about Grace's period?" Chin eyebrows arched. "Anyone else find this odd?"

 

Steve raised his hand slightly only to have Danny slap it back down.

 

"My baby is only twelve."

 

"Yeah. And? That's when it can start," Kono shrugged. "I just turned thirteen when I got mine."

 

"I think I need some air," Danny started pacing around the room looking for a window. "She was fine this weekend. I mean a bit clingier, didn't want to go to sleep, or be alone."

 

"Hormones," Kono laughed. "Welcome to teenage hell, Daddy."

 

Steve was already starting to shift from his weight between his feet like he was ready to bolt out the door. Chin and Kono got a good laugh at Danny's expense. Danny wasn't ready for this change in his life. He had enough going on, he didn't need his little girl becoming a hormonal and irrational teenager on him.

 

"What do we do?" Steve blurted out.

 

Which had Chin and Kono exchanging knowing and excited glances, before they burst into laughter again.

 

"We do nothing, Steven," Danny's arms sagged to his sides as he walked back to his partner's side.

 

"You're just going to have to deal with a teenage girl around the house. Call Mary, or better yet your aunt Deb who took care of Mary, if you really want to become an expert on teenagers. Something tells me she was a great example."

 

Steve took a deep breath and reached out and squeezed Danny's shoulder reassuringly.

 

"Oh yeah," Kono smiled. "Just think. You two will have to go through this again with Joan."

 

"Joan," Steve snapped his head to Kono. "My Joanie?"

 

Now Danny was laughing, "What? Did you not think your perfect, sweet little baby niece was ever going to grow up?"

 

And the way Steve face was twisted in confusion made Danny think Steve hadn't really thought about Joan as a teenager, but only as that sweet little baby he had just met and fallen in love with. Then again, he felt the same way about his Monkey too when she was born. This soft parental side of Steve made Danny's heart tighten just a little bit more. Clearly he was hopeless for this guy.

 

 He took advantage of Steve's hand on his shoulder and slid his arm around Steve's waist  pulling him in for a side hug. It was a move that they’d shared in public before, even in front of many members of law enforcement, but this time he knew the cousins saw it meant something more now.

 

"Aww," Kono crooned.

 

The office doors burst open and had all four heads turning quickly to see who was intruding. At first glance it was a blur of long brown hair and tanned, outstretched limbs. Danny recognized the female first and stepped up immediately from the others. Gabby latched herself onto Danny like she had been running for her life and had finally come to rest where it was safe.

 

 


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Danny, I'm so sorry," She whimpered, her face buried in his neck. "I'm sorry I ever doubted you. I'm so sorry for everything."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Editing done by 4thofFive
> 
> all other mistakes are my own
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Gabby, Jesus! What's wrong?" Danny asked holding the shaking woman.

 

"Danny, I'm so sorry," She whimpered, her face buried in his neck. "I'm sorry I ever doubted you. I'm so sorry for everything."                            

 

"It's okay. Slow down," Danny pulled her back to look at her. "What happened?"

 

"There's...there's something in your house," she gripped his shoulders tightly. "I...I was just there. I know I should have told you first, but...look the point is I saw it. It...I don't know what it is but he almost killed me."

 

"Whoa, wait. He?"

 

"It was a man at first," she started to talk even faster as the tears started to fall. "Then it was a black mass and it smothered me. I couldn't breathe. It was like I was breathing in pure smoke. I thought I was going to die, Danny. I prayed. I prayed so hard that you wouldn't find me dead on your living room floor. Then it let me go. I don't know why. Maybe praying. I don't know. Oh, god, Danny I was so scared."

 

Danny pulled the sobbing woman back into his arms and held her close. He looked back at his friends who all seemed beside themselves as to what to do. How can you protect and defend when the bad guy was already dead? When he met Steve's eyes, he could see a look hidden underneath the shield of duty. It was worry, fear that he would be abandoned yet again, this time for the woman in Danny's arms. Danny knew not to take it personally, he knew he had more than enough of his own insecurities they were going to have to deal with, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to tread lightly.

 

"Come on. Let's get you into my office and you can tell us exactly what happened," Danny said guiding her to his door.   

                                                          ~~~~~~

The four of them gathered with Gabby while she recounted her frightening tale. She clung to Danny's hand as they sat together on Danny's sofa. Steve and Chin stood by Danny's desk, while Kono sat on the other side of Gabby.

 

"Then I just kept trying to say different prayers. And I just asked for anyone who cared about Danny to not let him find me there, dead on his floor," Gabby blinked back tears.

 

"Then it just pulled away. I don't know where. I just crawled to the door.  I don't even know how I got my purse with my keys. The next thing I really remember was driving here."

 

When she finished there was a long moment of silence in the room. Everyone was equally dismayed that things had progressed this far. Steve felt more useless than at any other time in his life. He could only watch as Danny tried to console his ex-girlfriend while it was plain to see he himself was a breath away from either throwing up or passing out. Steve had woken up before Danny this morning and took advantage of watching him sleep, something he had only done a few times when Danny had crashed at his place, but now he didn't have to feel guilty about it. Danny seemed so much stronger this morning, and now it was like all the armor he had put on had shattered into a thousand pieces. Not to mention this was his ex-girlfriend he was now comforting, Steve didn't even know how he was supposed to feel about that. And by the careful looks the cousins were giving him during this entire exchange he felt it was safe to assume they knew more about his new relationship status than he thought they did.  He didn't know how, but they did.

 

"You believe me, right?" Gabby asked Danny. "You have every right to think I’m lying but..."

 

"I believe you," Danny nodded. "And I'm sorry you got caught up in this."

 

Danny wrapped his arm around her and Steve’s fists tightened their grip on the edge of Danny's desk.

 

"I should have believed you, Danny."

 

"We can arrange to have Max check you over to make sure you’re okay?" Chin offered.

 

"Do you think it's necessary?" Gabby was honest in her concern.

 

"Try mandatory," Danny replied. "And I don't want you staying by yourself tonight."

 

He passed a tiny glance at Steve who was very close to breaking a piece of Danny's desk off. Steve was disgusted with himself, he really was, but he couldn't help it.

 

"You're welcome to stay with me," Kono offered. "If you need to."

 

"Thank you, Kono," Gabby smiled. "But I'm sure I can stay with a girlfriend tonight."

 

"You call me the moment anything happens, if anything happens," Danny pressed.

 

"I will," Gabby took a deep breath.

 

"I'm going to call Max and Toast and let them know what's happened," Chin said.

 

"Do you want some water or anything?" Kono offered.

 

"Water would be great actually. My mouth still tastes...it."

 

 Kono nodded and followed Chin out of the office.

 

Danny ran his hand over his mouth and looked to Steve with pleading eyes. He was asking for help. Help Steve would offer his life in exchange for if he only knew how.

 

"Gabby, you have no idea how sorry I am," Danny squeezed her hands in his.

 

She shook her head, "You couldn't have known this would happen. I shouldn't have been so cold to you. We could have helped each other through this. Instead I pushed you away."

 

Steve's eyes went down to his feet and he wondered if he should leave the room too and give them their privacy, or be selfish and stay.

 

"I need to make a phone call. Promise you'll stay here till I get back. Steve and I will drive you to go see Max then to where you need to go, okay?"

 

Gabby nodded and Danny planted a quick kiss on her cheek before heading out the door himself, but not before he gave a quick nod to Steve. It was a nod that sent the messages of 'watch her' and 'be good'.

 

"I'm sorry to intrude. I just...I didn't know where else to go," Gabby said softly.

 

Steve looked over at the weepy woman. Even after all she had been through she was still beautiful, Steve didn't know how he could compete with someone with that kind of beauty, grace, and education. Actually, he wasn't sure why anyone would want him once they got acquainted with the load of emotional baggage he carried.

 

"It's fine," Steve straightened himself up. "I'm just glad you're okay."

 

"I still love him," she smiled and Steve's heart clenched. "And he loves me."

 

He crossed his arms over his chest unsure of what to say. But he didn't have to say anything because she kept on talking.

 

"But he's not in love with me. Don't worry, I'm not here to get in the way of what you two are starting."

 

Steve dropped his arms, "What?"

 

"I know Danny. I know by the way he kept looking at you, he was afraid he was going to be in trouble by being so close to me. And I'm an anthropologist, I know people. And I could tell by the look in your eyes, no matter how well you tried to mask it this whole time, that you care about him."

 

There was no point in keeping up the facade now. Steve pushed himself from the desk and sat next to Gabby. For a time they just looked each other in the eye, relating to each other in a way they had never let themselves before.

 

"It appears we have something in common then," Steve said with a half-smile that lifted one side of his mouth.

 

"Our taste in men," she replied with a soft laugh. "He means a lot to me, Steve, and I just want to know that he will be taken care of. Danny always said you have his back at work and I shouldn't worry, but with this..."

 

"This son of a bitch won't take him," Steve said sternly. "It's not going to happen. Did Danny ever tell you about how stubborn I was? Because he never fails to remind me."

 

"He did mention it," she smiled. "You really do love him. You probably have longer than you both realized."

 

He took in deep breath, "Yeah.  I think you’re right."

 

"Uh, hey," Danny said coming through the door. His eyes carefully surveying the scene.

"We are all set to go if you two are?"

 

There was something in Danny's eyes that had Steve wondering how much of their conversation he had heard. But there was no time for that now. They needed to take care of Gabby before they headed to Danny's to face Jason again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At first I thought this would only be 20 chapters but things got away from me. Things will be wrapping up very soon and the last few chapters will probably be a little longer than I have been doing.


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You must claim your space and those in it," Mamo said and Danny nodded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited by 4thofFive
> 
> All other mistakes are my own
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You are not welcome here," Danny said as sternly as he could into Grace's empty bedroom.

 

Danny fanned the smoke coming from the burning sage with ti leaf. The pale smoke drifted around the room, swirling in the direction he fanned it at first but soon migrating towards the open window. In the background he could hear the voices of his friends as they smudged other rooms. They were all moving about his house with their bundles of dried burning herbs. They moved from room to room, opening the windows as they went in order to push the spirits out with the smoke – hopefully.

 

"So leave you punk ass son of a bitch," Danny said as he half-heartedly swiped his bundle of leaves at the window.

 

"Danny, you have to have some conviction behind your words," a firm voice in a thick Hawaiian accent spoke behind him.

 

He spun around to find Mamo standing in the doorway. Steve's childhood family friend and mentor in Hawaiian culture, had a deeply rooted spiritual side as it turned out, and was willing to do a house blessing. But Chin was working on getting a Kahuna. Mamo and his family, like many who grew up on the islands, believed in spirits and took them very seriously. He was raised with these rituals and practices, a bit more than most, and was more than willing to help out.

 

Danny raised his bundle of herbs and fanned more of the smoke toward the corners of the room as he was instructed.

 

It wasn't that Danny didn't want their help, at this point he was willing to try anything, he just wasn't used to fighting nothing. He wanted Jason in front of him in the physical sense so he could kill him all over again. Preferably with his bare hands this time.

 

"This is not your space! This is not your home! You are not welcome here and you must leave!"

 

Danny repeated this line to each corner of the room before Mamo gave him an approving nod and clapped him on the shoulder. That's when the older man's eyes caught something peeking out from Danny's shirt. When Danny noticed what he was looking at he fumbled with the items in his hands to reach up and pull the rosary free.

 

"Kamekona," Danny shrugged. "I hope it doesn't interfere."

 

"No," Mamo shook his head and smiled.

 

Mamo then moved into Grace's room with his wooden bowl filled with ocean water. Danny didn't care what practice or belief fixed things as long as they fixed things. The older Hawaiian began speaking in a deep voice in his native tongue. His fingers dipping into the bowl and then flicking the water droplets outward. Danny had no idea what the man was saying, but he was very imposing. When Mamo finished he came back to Danny softer around the edges again.

 

"You must claim your space and those in it," Mamo said and Danny nodded.

 

"So this really makes the ghosts go away?"

 

"Sometimes," Mamo said. "But this guy. This guy is different. I can feel it."

 

"Tell me about it." Danny groaned uneasily.

 

"This was us claiming this space and saying we are going to fight. This was hardly winning any battles."

 

"Got it."

 

Mamo then heaved an uneasy sigh and asked, "You watch after Stevie, okay?"

 

"Of course," Danny's eyebrows scrunched up in confusion that he even needed to be asked something like that.

 

The two men moved out into the hallway where Toast and Max were sitting quietly in the living room. They had set up some equipment and were recording during the smudging and blessing.

 

Mamo nudged Danny’s shoulder and jerked his head toward the master bedroom. Steve was standing in the middle of the bedroom with his back to them. He wasn't moving. His arms were loose at his sides and his head was cast down toward the floor.

 

Danny cautiously went to him. He surveyed the room looking for any logical explanation for Steve's behavior. Naturally with his luck, there was none. Steve was just frozen in the middle of the room, his eyes fixed on the hardwood.

 

"Steve," Danny addressed him softly but got no response.

 

Danny moved to his side and rested his hand lightly on his arm.

 

"Hey, partner."

 

Steve jumped, jerking his head up like he was bringing it out of water.

 

"What?" Steve asked hastily. "Are you okay?"

 

"That's my line here," Danny said. "You okay?"

 

"Yeah, I...I just zoned out. I'm sorry. Are we done?"

 

"Yeah, babe. Let's get you out of here."

 

It was as if Danny had issued a director order, because Steve turned on his heel and was practically marching down the hall. Danny caught up with him and found there was yet another person in his living room looking over some of the electronic equipment being set up.

 

"Hey Fong, welcome to the party," Danny waved.

 

"I hope you don't mind," Charlie got up from the sofa and approached Danny. "Kono asked if I wouldn't mind picking up the new equipment and bringing it over. Adam wasn't sure what he was paying for so she asked me to make sure he was getting his money's worth. I've always been interested in the paranormal and I would really just like to help."

 

"That's fine, but what new equipment?" Danny waved his hands over all the strange looking items on his coffee table. He looked to Steve who seemed as clueless as he did.

 

"What does Adam have to do with this?"

 

"He bought us a sweet set up bro," Toast said gleefully from his spot on the sofa. "Top of the line EMF detectors, spirit box, infrared thermometer, full-spectrum digital camera, the list goes on. This is insane."                                          

 

"He is correct. If there is any scientific evidence to be found we will definitely find it with this," Max concurred. "And it will be beneficial to have Fong on hand."

 

"I'm going to stay and continue with a few blessings and try to communicate," Mamo continued.

 

"No, I don't think this is a good idea," Danny argued. "You guys do know what happened to Gabby today?"

 

"You know what you're doing?" Steve asked Mamo.

 

"I do, son. But I do not want you two here tonight. He is already too attached to Danny and by association you, Steven. Go. Rest. Let us do what we need to do."

 

"He's right," Toast jumped in. "We're going to stick together. We've been blessed. And we will get out of here if things get dicey. We go this alone, Jersey."

 

"I know you're used to saving the day," Fong said with a laugh. "But let the 'B' team take a crack at it. At the very least we can get some more information."

 

Mamo gave them a reassuring nod and Steve started ushering Danny toward the door. Danny didn't want to leave them alone in that house with that thing Jason had become, but he wasn't sure what help he could really be if Jason did choose to attack.

 

The drive back to Steve's was quiet, both men lost in their own thoughts. For once Danny was glad Grace wasn't there. It was the thought of his daughter that had him calling and checking on her as soon as he got back to Steve's house.

 

Apparently, Grace hadn't started her period. This both relieved and worried Danny. He pressed further with his questions. Rachel was less than forthcoming with information. If anything she interrogated him about what went on that weekend. Steve moved nervously about the house securing it for the night while Danny and Rachel went over the possible causes for their daughter's behavior but they could find no answers ~~~~

~~~~~

Throughout the evening Steve and Danny had regularly checked up on the team at his house. The team said they were coming up with some interesting things and everyone was fine, but nothing more than that.

 

 

Sitting on the edge of Steve's bed later that night felt odd. Good but odd. It was place he had dreamt about for a long time. Steve was finishing up in the bathroom while Danny slipped off his rosary, laying it on the nightstand next the bed.  Looking down at his new best friend he sighed and scrubbed his hands over his face. He’d already changed into sweatpants and a tee shirt while he awaited Steve. There was nothing he wanted more than to wrap himself up in Steve and melt into the mattress for a few hours. First thing in the morning he planned on reaming Kono out for getting Adam involved and then reaming Adam out for his act of generosity – no matter how grateful Danny was.

 

The ringing of his phone might as well have been the red alert on a battleship for Danny because it had him sitting bolt upright and scrambling to locate his phone. He snatched it from the night stand, afraid that his ghost-hunting team had run into trouble. The name he saw illuminated on the screen, however, had his heart sinking into a deep pit of fear inside him.

 

"Grace, baby?" Danny answered quickly.

 

"Hey, Danno," she whispered.

 

"I can't hear you too well. Are you okay?"

 

"Yeah, I just have to be quiet because mom doesn't want me on my phone this late. But I just had to call you."

 

"It's okay, sweetie. That rule never applies to me. Never. What's wrong?"

 

"I wanted to explain why I didn't come back to Uncle Steve’s with you today. I didn't want you or Uncle Steve to be mad but I didn't know if you would believe me or not. Or if Uncle Steve would, you know how brave he is."

 

Steve entered the bedroom at this point and must have seen Danny's state. Danny could only imagine what he must have looked like because he knew where this conversation was going. He felt the warmth of Steve next to him on the bed watching his every move.

 

"I'll believe, I promise. Steve’s here with me now."

 

"Okay, you can let him listen then," she said with quivering voice.

 

Danny switched the phone to speaker and let his baby girl’s voice fill the room for both of them to hear.

 

"I was having bad dreams. I think that's what it was. They had to be dreams. I kept having dreams that Uncle Steve had died. And we were all sad, but you really couldn't handle it. You went home and said I couldn't come back with you because you were too sad. Then our house caught on fire and you died in it. The house was filled with all this black smoke and the fireman couldn't find you."

 

When Danny looked over at Steve he saw that his eyes were tightly closed, jaw clenched, fists drawn tightly together. He must have sensed Danny watching him because he managed to crack his eyes open and they both stared at each other. Hanging on to their own sanity in the other's eyes.

 

"Then on Sunday night I had the dream again and it was real, so real, and I got up to go to the bathroom. I didn't want to wake you up because I'm not a baby anymore, but when I got out in the hall there was a man there. I could see him because Uncle Steve left a night light on in the bathroom so I could find my way in the dark. I knew he wasn't either of you two because he was scrawny, but he was dressed in all back. Even his face. I almost screamed, but I was too scared."

 

"What was the man doing?"

 

"He was just staring at your bedroom door. Then must have seen me and he just disappeared. I think. I don't know. I closed my eyes and he was gone. He didn't even seem like a real person, Danno."

 

"Those do sound like some nasty dreams, baby," Danny said as composed as he could.

 

Steve managed to composed himself as well and slide an arm around Danny's shoulders.

 

"Do you believe me that I saw someone in the hall? Is Uncle Steve's house haunted?"

 

"I believe you saw something. But no Uncle Steve's house isn't haunted."

 

Danny wasn't lying. It was he who was haunted and not the house.

 

"Look, do you remember the rosary that Nanna Williams gave you?"

 

"Yeah, it’s here in my dresser."

 

"Get it and put it on. Sleep with it for Danno, okay? That will make you feel better. Say your prayers, too."

 

"Danno?"

 

Danny grit his teeth knowing his perceptive daughter was going to get suspicious.

 

"It wouldn't hurt. It's what my Nanna use to tell me to do when I had nightmares."

 

"Really? Did it work?"

 

"Yeah."

 

"Okay. I'll get it now."

 

"Good. Now get some sleep. But if you have another bad dream and you need me, call me. Anytime. If your mom says anything about you being on the phone just tell her you're talking to me."

 

"Okay, dad. I love you."

 

"Danno loves you too."

 

The line went dead and Danny doubled over, burying his head in his hands. Danny wasn't a praying man but in that moment he asked God and every dead relative he knew, or ever heard of, to watch over his baby girl.

 

 

 

 


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I know it's been a day but..."
> 
>  
> 
> Danny just shook his head and pulled Steve back in. It had been just a few days ago when he was the one who needed Steve this way. Now Steve was asking for the same, in his own way, and Danny couldn't deny him that. The truth was he needed this too. He needed to know he could at least take care of one person in his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited by 4thofFive
> 
> All other mistakes are my own
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Danny," Steve said forcefully, his fingers wrapping around Danny's wrists to pull his hands away from his face.

 

By the tone of Steve's voice, Danny could tell Steve had been trying to get his attention for some time without getting a response. Steve's eyes examined Danny looking for answers. Large eyes searching for something, anything to go on as to where to go next. There was no doubt in Danny’s mind that if Jason were still alive, Steve would happily rectify that if only to end the suffering it was causing all of them. This feeling of uselessness was driving Steve to madness. Danny could see in Steve's eyes.

 

"My baby girl, Steve. She saw him. He let her see him. That was no accident."

 

Steve’s jaw locked as he hung onto every word Danny was saying.

 

"Yet another warning to me that he can get to the people I love the most and there's not a damn thing I can do about it."

 

Steve shook his head slightly, but was no less understanding of what his lover was saying.

 

"Has Rachel ever had her house blessed?"

 

"What?" Danny wracked his brain. "I think so. Uh...yeah. When they moved in. What about this place?"

 

"No," Steve let out a deep breath. "This is my fault. At least with her mother she is somewhere with some type of protection. Here, I wasn't even prepared."

 

"Steve!" Danny turned on the bed to face him. "We have no idea how this shit works, I doubt anyone really does. So don't beat yourself up that you haven't become an expert in just a few days, despite what you thought."

 

"I have read that kids are more perceptive to spirits," Steve continued clearly not giving up his guilt yet. "Jason must be weaker outside your house. It's like being outside drains him. He's not possessing you or anything like that so when he was here, so far away from where his sister put him so to speak, he couldn't manifest himself in front of us. But Gracie, being a child was more likely to see him, thus still getting to you in the process."

 

"That's a theory. A far out one, but a theory."

 

Now Steve was the one sagging, leaning forward propping himself up with his elbows on his knees. Danny moved closer to get his hands on him.

 

"You okay?"

 

"No," Steve said. "And I'm sorry for that."

 

He looked over at Danny searching for forgiveness and something else.

 

"What happened tonight? You were spaced out at my house and couldn't get out of there fast enough."

 

Steve turned slightly to wrap one arm around Danny, a weak smile forming on his lips.

 

"I'm human, Danny," he said with a slightly shuddered breath like that was supposed to explain it all. For Danny it did.

 

For Danny, Steve admitting that he was becoming more of a human instead of a military machine meant something. It was something precious that Danny would do anything to protect. He leaned in and kissed Steve. It was just meant to be something sweet to reassure him they were on the same page, but Steve took it to another level quickly. Leaving Danny breathless by the time he was released from Steve's lips.

 

Steve looked for permission in Danny’s eyes.

 

"I know it's been a day but..."

 

Danny just shook his head and pulled Steve back in. It had been just a few days ago when he was the one who needed Steve this way. Now Steve was asking for the same, in his own way, and Danny couldn't deny him that. The truth was he needed this too. He needed to know he could at least take care of one person in his life.

 

They pulled and tugged at one another until they were divested of their night clothes. Both men moved up to the center of the bed, Steve rutting against Danny whose legs were wrapped around Steve’s waist. Steve attacked Danny's mouth and neck like a man literally dying for affection. That wasn't to say Danny wasn't giving as good as he got, pawing and clawing at Steve's naked skin. He had a good idea of where this was going and he was preparing himself mentally. It had been a very long time since he'd done this, but he wanted it with Steve so badly it hurt.

 

"Danny?" Steve asked and Danny knew exactly what he wanted.

 

"Yeah," he breathed against his lips.

 

Steve bumped his nose against Danny's making sure he was looking him in the eye. He had a softer smile on his face, but Danny could see the urgent need in his eyes. Steve needed this from Danny and Danny needed to give it to him.

 

"Yeah, Steve," Danny's fingers ran through Steve's short brown hair. "I need you. I need you inside me."

 

Steve surged forward again claiming Danny's lips as he rocked against him. Then just as suddenly he was gone, reaching over to the night stand. What Danny didn't expect to see was a brand new pack of condoms already opened in anticipation, as well as a new bottle of lube.

 

"Classified op to the drug store?" Danny asked with just the faintest hint of a nervous laugh.

 

Steve smiled in kind. It created soft laugh lines around his eyes that did indeed make him more human than the Navy robot Danny had met so long ago. This Steve, his Steve, was a thing of beauty in stature and substance. Danny wanted nothing more than to boast he had a hand in Steve's internal revolution. But it was a group effort between his home island and the new family he had created since his return.

 

Steve laid the items within reach before returning his attention to Danny. The rush was gone now as he looked down at Danny's body. Steve’s hands reached out and trailed over Danny’s neck and shoulders, fanning out over his chest. His head dipped down to kiss and taste any spot of skin that he seemed to think needed to be cataloged as he made his way down Danny's torso. Danny watched him through hooded eyes and allowed him to do as he pleased.

 

There was still a faint purple mark in the groove of Danny's hip from their first encounter. Steve kissed the love bite reverently before pressing his nose against it, practically purring next to Danny's erection.

 

Steve leaned up and tugged at Danny's hips to direct him to roll over. Danny did so without question, but as he tried to get up on his knees, Steve put a hand on his back. He kept Danny flat on his belly while he knelt between his legs. Danny wasn't sure what was happening, but went with it. He pillowed his head on his arms and waited. Steve's large hands ran up the length of Danny's back, across his wide shoulders and gripped as much of his biceps as he could. Danny closed his eyes and almost purred himself at the sensual massage he was getting.

 

Steve hands traveled back down until they fitted around the globes of Danny's ass. He squeezed and kneaded at the flesh like it was the greatest prize he had ever won, leaving Danny feeling loose and deliciously wanted. He couldn't help but circle his hips against the sheets. Even though his head was swimming, it wasn't enough. He needed more. Steve then draped himself along Danny's back. He slipped his long, already leaking cock between Danny's ass cheeks. All of Danny's nerves about the actual act of sex were burned away at that moment as he pushed back against the weight of Steve on top of him.

 

Danny's arms slipped out from under his head and were flat next to him to brace himself better. Steve used that moment to cover Danny's hands with his.

 

"I want you so bad, Danny. Can you feel it?" Steve rolled his hip hard against Danny's ass.

 

"Fucking yes, Steve."

 

"You're all mine, Danny. My life.“He squeezed Danny's hands. “Nothing's going to take you away."

 

"God, Steve," Danny moaned fearing this was going to be over before it began the way Steve was growling in his ear.

 

Steve bit and kissed along Danny's neck in between his declarations of passion for the man underneath him.

 

"Steve...fuck. You gotta do something."

 

"I got you, Danny. So beautiful," Steve said taking Danny's earlobe in his mouth.

 

"God, babe! I love you, Steven," Danny said in a dizzying rush.

 

He couldn't believe he had actually said the words out loud until he felt Steve become still. Instantly he feared he had screwed up and pushed things a few steps too far. Steve's body slipped away from him and Danny rolled over quickly in an attempt to chase after him, only to have Steve looming down over him again.

 

"Danny," he breathed against Danny's lips.

 

"Babe, listen I..." he stammered searching Steve's eyes.

 

"Danny, I've...I've wanted to tell you...I love you, too."

 

Danny smiled and took Steve’s face in his hands. That explained what Steve kept trying to tell him last night when he couldn't get the words out. Steve smiled back and everything was perfect again, if only for the moment.

 

"Then why don't you just show me how much you love me, big guy," Danny teased.

 

With one swift kiss, Steve readily accepted his mission and went for the lube. He settled down on his knees between Danny's spread legs, pouring some of the lube onto his fingers. Danny drew his knees up and lifted his arms causally over his head, giving Steve a wanton display.

 

After a quick kiss to Danny's knee, Steve pushed his first finger in. The earlier relaxation Danny had felt quickly drained away. It wasn't all that bad but Steve's hands were large and things were only going to get bigger. After a few moments and gentle coaching from Steve, a second finger was added and that magical bundle of nerves deep inside was found. That had Danny moaning and lifting his hips up to meet Steve's hand. Steve's face lit up hungrily at every sound of pleasure he pulled from Danny. He added another well-lubed finger and worked Danny open carefully.

 

"Come on already!" Danny hissed.

 

Steve worked quickly. He slipped his fingers away to get a pillow under Danny's hips and applied the condom and lube to himself. He moved so quickly Danny didn't have time to complain again before Steve's lips were on his again, his hand stroking Danny’s cock to placate him. Danny's groans were swallowed by Steve who was pressing the blunt head of his cock to Danny's entrance.

 

Steve pressed in slowly, holding back with all he had in order to let Danny adjust. Danny turned his head away from Steve at first and tried to focus on his breathing, his hands clinging to Steve's back.

 

"Keep going," he finally breathed out.

 

Steve worked at a slow rhythm until he felt Danny start to relax underneath him.  The uncomfortable feeling was starting to give way to the interesting for Danny. He turned his head back to Steve ready to urge him on further, but the sight he saw stole his breath. He was struck by the man who was nothing but tight cords of muscles, glistening on top of him. He was holding back for all he was worth trying not to hurt Danny, this being the first time for him in a very long time. Things weren't going exactly as Danny had planned. He wanted to take care of Steve and this didn't look like it to him.

 

"Steve, babe," Danny pressed on Steve's shoulders. "Time to change it up."

 

Steve scrunched his sweaty brow as he stared down at Danny.

 

"On your back, sailor," Danny smiled.

 

Steve eased himself carefully out of Danny and onto the bed. Danny moved quickly and climbed back on top of Steve, running his hands up and down the length of the practically obscene torso that lay bare before him.

 

"Allow me," Danny winked taking Steve's shaft in his hand.

 

Steve helped part Danny's perfect cheeks, while he lowered himself down onto Steve. He settled at the base and both men were gasping for air. Steve had a tight grip on Danny's hips, itching for movement. Danny began moving his body on top of Steve's and that interesting feeling swiftly became fantastic. The burn and ache he was feeling drifted away when he looked down and saw the long, tan, perfect body of a man who was craving to fuck him. It was almost too much for Danny to witness.  

 

"That's it," Danny gripped Steve's forearms encouragingly.

 

"Fuck, Danny. Look at you!" Steve moaned, his hips thrusting up into the gorgeous figure riding him. "I fucking love this, and you."

 

"That. Do that. Fuck me," Danny rambled. "Use those fucking hips. Go crazy."

 

Danny went down harder on Steve who tossed his head back against the pillow, but thrust up even harder into Danny. They quickly found a punishing rhythm that was hitting Danny's prostate with each stroke. Both men were sweating, grunting, and uncaring about anything but what was happening in this moment.

 

"Steve, I need to..."Danny managed to say as his thrust started to falter.

 

Steve reached up and took Danny's painfully engorged cock in his hand and with a few strokes he was coming between them. He clenched around Steve as he did pulling him over the edge too. Steve held onto Danny's hips sinking himself in deep as he came.

 

Uncaring of the mess and sweat between them, Steve pulled Danny down on top of him. They kissed and stroked at one other, happy just to melt into each other for the moment. For two people who were so different, they were always two halves of a whole. Never did they feel that to be truer than in this moment.

 

Steve eased himself out of Danny and removed the condom, but made no further movement to get out of bed just yet. He wrapped Danny close in his arms. Danny didn't know how he was going to get used to having a bedmate who was so much larger than him, especially one who like to wrap his miles of arms and legs around his already overly heated body. But in a moment like this he couldn't bring himself to care. Steve was happy and content as he kissed and caressed every inch of Danny’s skin he could reach. That made Danny just as happy and content.

 

"I do love you, Danno," Steve mumbled into Danny's hair. "I would do anything for you and Grace."

 

"I know you big softie," Danny hummed out a soft laugh. "I love you, too."

 

Steve squeezed Danny a little tighter wanting Danny to burrowed deeper into his chest so he wouldn’t see the pinched look of pain Steve was trying so desperately to hide. Danny hadn’t the vaguest idea what Steve was willing to do, or had done, to protect him from Jason.

 

~~~~~

 

"Well isn't this something," a soft voice called out in the dark.

 

It woke both Danny and Steve with a start and had them sitting straight up in bed. Confused, blurry eyed, and still naked under the sheet, both men stared at the figure standing at the foot of the bed. Steve reached for his bedside lamp and its pale yellow glow confirmed that it was indeed Catherine standing there. Her long dark hair was stringy and unkempt and her makeup was running down her cheeks like she had been crying. What was even stranger was she was only dressed in a short red silk nightgown.

 

"Catherine, what's going on?" Steve asked.

 

"I had to see it for myself," she waved her hand at the two of them. "I came over here dolled up thinking I could change your mind, not thinking he would already be in your bed. The bed we were just in days before! The bed where you and I made love just days before, Steve!"

 

"Catherine..." Danny tried to speak but was cut off by a hiss from Catherine before she leapt onto the foot of the bed.

 

She stayed crouched down like a wild animal staring at the two men who were dumbstruck at what was happening.

 

"You think your little blessing is going to do any good?" She laughed darkly, eyes darting erratically between them. "You think you can get rid of him that easy? With an old man, a pot head, and two nerds?  You're wrong. He's going to take you, Danny. But not before he ruins the lives of everyone you love. Starting with your faggy pig lover over there."

 

"Catherine, what the fuck?" Steve yelled.

 

"Not Catherine," Danny mumbled.

 

Catherine stood up on the bed trailing her hands over her bare legs until they moved over the ruby colored silk.

 

"You think you're something? Why you’re as harmless as a mouse," Catherine smiled so sweetly at them.

 

Her fingers dipped under her nightgown before Steve and Danny could make a move. She lifted the hem up just slightly, enough for them to start to see movement from between her legs. A grey, furry nose popped out from under the silk and the fat body then scurried down her leg and on to the bed. By the time they processed that a mouse had just come out of Catherine, dozens more started pouring out of her. All squeaking and clawing their way toward Steve and Danny. Catherine cackled and howled with laughter as the men tried to get away. The tiny masses swarmed them like bees, biting and scratching at their flesh. Danny could feel them digging at his eyes. When tried to scream one went straight in his mouth.

 

He heard Steve hit the floor first. They had no choice but to try to somehow get out of the house and make it to the ocean.

 

As Danny stood he hit the night stand. One hand hit it, knocking one mouse off with a shrill squeak. But that still left dozens more clinging to his body. Danny searched blindly for the rosary. He kicked and flayed, but felt the wooden beads with his bleeding fingers. He grabbed it and held it tightly.

 

"This isn't real."

 

He kept saying it to himself, even as tiny teeth tried to chew their way inside his body.

 

Danny took a step forward, but tripped on the bedding and fell to the floor. He had hit hard. The biting had stopped but that didn't stop him from trying to crawl away. Yet he didn't hear the squeaks or feel the weight of his body smashing theirs as he moved. He lay still for a second and felt nothing. Moving his hands around he found he was no longer blanketed in the tiny rodents. Chancing it, he opened his eyes and saw they were gone. Catherine was gone. And he showed no signs of ever being bitten. However, he was lying on the floor in the middle of the bedroom clutching his rosary in his hand.

 

"Steve?" he called out.

 

"Yeah," he heard Steve say in between deep breaths. "Over here."

 

Danny slowly managed to get to his feet to look for Steve. Danny was sweaty and woozy.  It was like being back at his house all over again. When he rounded the bed he found Steve in a heap, twisted up in the sheets. He looked up at Danny more lost than he had since Danny found him in the back of that truck in North Korea.

 

"I had a nightmare, Danny," Steve said blankly.

 

"Fuck," Danny ran his hand through his hair and took a moment to gather himself together.

 

Steve slowly got up. Danny saw he was pale and sweating as well.

 

"Sit, babe," Danny took Steve's arm and they both sat down on the edge of the bed. "Did you dream about Catherine bringing us a plague of mice, and then fall out of bed?"

 

Steve's head snapped over at Danny so fast it made Danny dizzy.

 

"How did you know?"

 

"Did you not notice I was on the floor too, genius? We were sharing the dream – or something."

 

Steve leaned forward raking his hands through his hair. As he did so he let out a hiss that he tried to suppress almost out of reflex.

 

"What the? You hurt yourself?" Danny asked. "Turn the light on and let me see."

 

"I don't know what happened. It burns," Steve groaned as he leaned over to turn the light on.

 

Danny gasped as he saw there was a new mark on Steve's bare back. The letter “I” next to the letter “P.”

 

"Babe," Danny whispered as his fingers softly trailed around the edges of the marred skin. "It's the letter I."

 

"He's spelling pig like in the dream," Steve said. "That's what he keeps calling us."

 

"And he's making a joke out of it by putting it on you like a tramp stamp."

 

Steve shook his head dismissively, looking far too tired to deal with it.

 

"I'm going to get some stuff to clean it up and then we need to get some sleep," Danny said.

 

"Sleep," Steve laughed. "Who's going to sleep after that?  We need to check on the guys at your house. And don’t worry about the fucked up letters on my back. It doesn't matter."

 

"Yes, it does matter," Danny replied. "I know he's drained us of our energy after a dream like that. We need to try to get some of it back. You remember how I was when I would come to work after my nightmares? And I'm cleaning that wound, just like I did the first one, because you’re not getting some kind of infection from ectoplasm."

 

"I don't think that's a thing."

 

"You don't know."

 

Steve rolled his eyes and lay back on the bed. Danny's heart broke in a million pieces. The people he loved most in this world were being affected by this. They were being harmed by this and it was getting worse by the minute. Danny would lay down his life, or in this case his soul, to keep his family safe. He hoped it didn't come down to that, but it was becoming harder and harder to find another way out of this situation.

 

 

 


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve felt like he couldn't breathe, the room was spinning. He wondered if this was what it felt like before someone passed out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks go to 4thoffive for the editing. All other mistakes are my own.

Tuesday afternoon Steve sat at his desk wondering about his life. His computer screen was suppose to be showing  reports that needed his utmost attention, or at least that's what Denning's secretary had said. Instead there were pictures he was keeping in a secure folder. They screen was displaying  pictures that he had meant to have printed to  hang in  the house, or have something done with them. He wasn't good with these sorts of things, but he knew he was meant to do something with these pictures.

 

Steve began scrolling through the photos. Most of the images were of the two leading ladies in his life these days: Joan and Grace. The photos of Grace showed her at a variety of activities from cheer to the 'Aloha Girls', and more candid shots of her hamming it up for the camera around the house or the island; some with her father, always eager to smile if his daughter were next to him. With Joan, Steve was quick to snap away at every new experience he had with her. Like trying a bit of shaved ice for the first time or the first sand castle Uncle Steve helped her construct. He was especially fond of the picture Mary had taken of him standing at the water's edge with Joan. He was leaning over to lower Joan's feet into the surf as a small wave came in. At the moment the picture was taken the water was lapping at Joan's feet, and both Uncle and niece had large goofy grins on their faces. He remembered she kicked and squealed at the water that tickled her. He was overjoyed at her lack of fear. The next picture he stopped on was of Grace holding Joan so gingerly on her lap on the sofa, both girls smiling for the camera. It was taken just two months ago.

 

Steve leaned back in the chair and just stared at his girls thinking about how much better life was just two months ago.

 

A soft knock at the door brought  Steve out of his reverie,

 

"Hey."

 

"Chin," Steve sat up and waved Chin in to the room.

 

"I catch you at a bad time?" Chin asked looking at the computer.

 

Steve sighed at the screen and smiled up at his friend.

 

"No, just realizing I'm long past due   figuring out what to do about these."

 

Chin moved to Steve's sofa and took a seat.

 

"I know what you mean. I started a photo project a while ago. Stuff with all of us, but I just never seem to get back to it. I'm really hoping I can find the thumb drive they're on."

 

"They’re important," Steve said nodding to the two girls on  the screen. "These moments; living them. Leaving something behind for them ."

 

Steve bit down on his lip to keep himself from talking anymore, but he could already sense Chin eyeing him carefully.

 

"Are you sure you're okay, Steve?"

 

"Yeah," he replied sighing. "I'm sorry. Was there something you came in here to tell me?"

 

"Yeah, but I don’t think  you’re going to like it."

 

Steve shook his head, "That's nothing new. Go ahead."

 

Chin looked out the window of Steve's office before he started to speak. Steve followed his eyes and saw Danny in his office dramatically waving his hands while talking  on the phone. That could mean a million different things from an overpriced electric bill to a fight with Rachel.

 

"Just spit it out, Chin."

 

Chin scratched his brow and looked like it truly  pained him to say, "Ryna Awana was found dead in her apartment by her roommate this morning. They are calling it a heart attack right now."

 

"I want Max on this," Steve sat up abruptly, closing out everything on his computer like the girls would be exposed to something just by having their pictures witnessing this conversation.

 

"Already ahead of you," Chin replied. "I got the call just before you guys came in and I made sure I took care of it. I had Max file it as a priority case for Five-0 so he could put a rush on it. I knew I could handle it without ruining your morning."

 

"Yeah, well, you didn't ruin our morning," Steve huffed. "Jason made an appearance in a joint dream Danny and I had last night."

 

"What?"

 

"Yeah, I'll get into more detail when we get the evidence from the guys later, but it was awful. Both Danny and I having the same horrific nightmare."

 

"It makes sense though," Chin shrugged, "Jason knows to get to one he needs to get to the other."

 

Steve looked over to Danny who looked like he was wrapping up the call and heading over to them.

 

"So, you guys are really okay...with Danny and I? I know this might have come as a shock."

 

Chin gave him a smile and a laughed, "Shock? Far from it. And yes we’re ok with it We're happy for you. "

 

Just then the door was opened by Steve's agitated other half.

 

"You will not believe this," Danny announced as he walked in. "I just got off the phone with Toast. He's in the hospital with Fong, who is recovering after surgery on a broken arm he suffered in my damn house last night."

 

"Are you serious?"  Chin asked.

 

Steve just ran his hands over his face wishing this would all be over.

 

"Kono is setting up the evidence in the conference room for Max, but apparently they had one hell of a night. Good to know we weren’t the only ones."

 

"Steve just told me a little bit about your night," Chin looked up at Danny.

 

Danny raised a questioning eyebrow to Steve and asked, "The dream?"

 

"Yes Danny, the dream," Steve rolled his eyes at the idea that Danny would actually think he was telling Chin about anything else.

 

"There is actually more about last night you should know about, Danny," Chin said.

 

"Fantastic," Danny said sarcastically.

 

"You should sit down for this one, Danno," Steve nodded to the sofa.

 

"Now, I'm really excited." Danny shuffled to the sofa and planted himself.

 

"Ryna Awana passed away last night," Steve said softly. "Of apparent natural causes. Max is going to look i to it."

 

"Natural causes my ass, Steven! First Gabby, then Grace, us, Fong, now  Ryna? Jesus Christ!"

 

Danny jumped out of his seat and started pacing. "He finally did it! He finally killed her."

 

"What about Grace?" Chin asked worriedly.

 

"Yeah what about Grace?" Kono asked joining them.

 

Steve got up from his desk uncertain of how to handle his partner now that he was more than just his partner –  not with all these eyes watching them.

 

"Grace saw Jason at the house. She called and told Danny she was having nightmares at my house and she saw a man in the hallway," Steve explained.

 

"That's why she didn't want to come back to Steve's!" Danny said, hands flying about. "He almost killed Gabby! And he did kill Ryna! What could he do to my baby because of me?"

 

"Ryna died from  a heart attack," Chin said.

 

"He drove her to it! He wore her down! Believe me. I know. He makes you want to die. Makes you welcome it."

 

That was it for Steve. He grabbed Danny by the shoulders and made him face him.

 

"Enough, Danny. We're not going to let anyone else die. The Kahuna is going to help us," Steve held Danny's eyes with his. "You gotta trust me. But getting hysterical isn't going to help anyone."

 

"I found a Kahuna. He can come by the day after tomorrow," Chin added softly.

 

"We'll all be there," Kono said.

 

Danny nodded and let his head drop forward. All the fight left him. Steve noticed how winded he appeared. It wasn't like Danny to be so drained after a rant, even an emotional one like that. Danny's hands came up and wrapped around Steve's wrists as if he were holding himself up.

 

"Max is here," Kono said after a long beat.

 

"Come on," Chin nodded to Kono. "We'll get things started. You two  join us when you're ready."

 

Steve nodded to both of them but noticed Danny hadn’t moved. He pulled Danny against his chest. The beads of Danny's rosary felt warm on Steve's skin. He pressed a kiss to the top of Danny's head and tried not to think about it. He was good at compartmentalization. He just needed to pull it off till the day after tomorrow. No matter how uncomfortable the little wooden beads felt against his chest.

 

"I'm here, Danny," Steve said. "I need you to be here, too."

 

"I know. I just...He's hitting me where it hurts."

 

"That's his plan, I'm sure. He's just trying to tear you down."

 

"Well it's working."

 

"Don't say that," Steve said firmly, gently pushing Danny away so he could look at him. "Don't say that. You need to be strong no matter what. We all do. You can't give up."

 

"You think that's what she did?" Danny said with a knowing expression on his face.

 

Steve just nodded slightly and Danny replied with the same.

 

"Let's go see what terrors went on at my house while we were gone," Danny said, visibly trying to ready himself.

 

This man's heart and this man's bravery pulled at something deep inside Steve. It was moments like these that made Steve love Danny even more, if that was possible.

 

Steve nodded to Danny who then turned to walk out of the room, his head held high. Steve smiled at the blond who stole his heart so long ago. Then something caught his eye, distracting him from the form he loved. Looking up at a framed picture on the wall, he saw a reflection in the glass. An image of a man appeared overtop of the photograph of his beloved friend Freddie. Jason gave a mocking smile and shook his head at Steve, still grinning as if everything Steve was doing was futile. Steve glared back at the man in the glass. Maybe everything was futile at this point, but that thing wasn't getting Danny. Steve had already made plans to assure that.

 

"Steve?" Danny said from the doorway, "You coming?"

 

"Yeah."

 

Steve shook off his angry expression and followed Danny out and to the conference room.

 

Three sets of anxious brown eyes looked up from where they were seated at the table. They left two seats at the head of the table  for Steve and Danny to sit close together as they watched the evidence on the computer.

 

"Hey, how's Fong?"

 

"It was a clean break I set it myself, but it still required surgery to properly secure his ulna and radius, which kept trying to slip out of place. He was resting comfortably when I left him and should be discharged soon," Max replied.

 

"Why didn't you guys call us?" Danny cringed at the thought of Fong’s broken bones slipping out of place.

 

"There wasn't anything either of you could do," Max responded. "It happened after you called to check in after your shared nightmare around 3 a.m. We made the decision that after your experience we weren't going to involve you in what happened. We just left. If you like I can actually show you what happened."

 

There was some reluctance on Danny's part, but Steve pressed a light hand on his back and ushered him to their chairs.

 

"What about Ryna Awana? Have you done the autopsy?" Steve asked as they both sat down.

 

"I did while Fong was in surgery. I'm waiting on a few toxicology reports, but I am confident that the final ruling will be heart attack."

 

"That's not natural for a girl that young," Danny lamented.

 

"You're right detective," Max said sadly before bring up something on the computer. "Now to last night. After Commander McGarrett and Detective Williams left, Mamo preformed a few more blessings and invocations, but nothing happened. He left at approximately midnightat which point we began to pick up a few voices during our spirit box session."

 

"Do I even want to know what that is?" Danny asked.

 

"It's an electronic device that  runs through radio broadcasting channels, most of them static, at a high rate. The device is never on a station long enough to pick up a full word from any transmission."

 

"That would eliminate any chance of it being a local broadcast," Kono said.

 

"Yes. The purpose being that the spirits are able to communicate through the white noise."

 

"So you communicated with Jason Awana on it?" Chin asked.

 

"It wasn't definitive. It was perplexing actually, since the voice was of someone still very much alive," Max said looking at the quizzically at the screen.

 

"Let's just see what you have, Max," Steve firmly suggested pointing to the computer.

 

"Of course. Here is the night vision video recording of the moment we picked up the voice."

 

"Which by the way, Kono, you, Adam, and I are going to have a long talk about the money spent on this," Danny added quickly, but only got Kono waving him off as a response.

 

Max hit play. The small white box sat in the middle of Danny's coffee table. Directly in front of the camera's view were Max and Toast sitting on the sofa, both leaning in toward the spirit box. Toast had the thermal thermometer in his hand scanning the room. Fong sat in the chair to their left, nearest  the kitchen. The spirit box pulsed with the rotating sound of the rapid fire changing of stations, like automatic firing of white noise.

 

"We're here to communicate with you," Fong said. "You've been making your presence known. You haven't been shy before, why now?"

 

The men sat silently while the box still played static. . A snapping sound, like the popping of wood expanding with a change in temperature, had all three men looking up and over to the desk beside Fong. It was the same desk that Gabby was searching through just the other day.

 

"What was that?" Toast murmured quietly.

 

"We know you are capable of using the box, Awana," Max said boldly. "Use your words."

 

"The blessings are over," Fong said. "I'm sure you weren't very happy about them. I know you're already not happy with Danny and Steve."

 

"Pig...Pig..."

 

The men froze and two different voices sounding like they were sampled from radio broadcasts came through the box.

 

"I'm getting a temperature drop," Toast reported. "Down five degrees."

 

"He's here," Max said.

 

"Is that the best you can do?" Fong challenged. "Steve and Danny are our friends. You're going to have to do better than that."

 

"Danny," Steve's voice now came through the box causing the investigators to exchange worried looks of confusion. "Danny...I've wanted to tell you... I love you..."

 

"That's Commander McGarrett's voice," Max said shocked. "But he isn't dead. Jason must be manipulating us."

 

"Steve loves Danny," Fong nodded trying to regain his composure.

 

"Holy shit, temp is down ten degrees and twelve around Fong,” Max said.

 

"So what?" Fong snapped. "Big deal."

 

"I'll do whatever you want.....take me....leave him....take me..."Steve voice continued to speak.

 

A growl then came over the speaker as the desk began to rattle slightly next to Fong.

 

"Steve's mine," a dark voice boomed loudly over the spirit box followed by several seconds of an ear piercing squeal..

 

 The desk jerked forward three feet and fell over as if it had been tossed right on top of Fong. Max and Toast hurried to their fallen friend, but the damage had been done.

 

Max stopped the video and everyone sat quietly for a moment before looking at Steve. He sat stoically, not wanting to meet Danny's eyes. He could already feel the heat of anger   radiating off  his partner. There was still a chance he could play it off and pretend that he didn't know what was going on, but he knew Danny would see right through him.

 

"That was intense," Kono said.

 

"I hate to have to ask you, Commander but was Jason Awana using your voice to mimic you or was he repeating things you had already said?"

 

"Yes, Commander," Danny sneered. "I would like to know the very same thing."

 

Steve finally looked over at Danny. The moment he did he knew his face gave him away, only because he was confronted by  a  look of fear and anguish  in Danny's face. The betrayal in Danny's eyes was almost too much for Steve, but  he held Danny's watery blue gaze as long as he could.

 

"You son of bitch," Danny said shaking his head.

 

"I said them," Steve said quietly still looking at Danny who was now looking anywhere but at Steve. "I had too, Danny."

 

"Had to what?" Danny yelled jumping up from his seat and looming over Steve.

 

"I couldn't let this go on," Steve looked for mercy in Danny's eyes. "I knew something was different since that first night I confronted Awana, but during the blessing...I had to do it, Danny. I couldn't let you end up like I knew Ryna was going to  and she did. He wore her down and killed her and I couldn't let that happen to you."

 

"Unbelievable, McGarrett. You are un-fucking--believable," Danny shouted before storming out of the room to his office.

 

"You offered yourself in Danny's place," Chin said. "Steve..."

 

"I know," Steve slowly got to his feet. "You guys have to understand he has more to lose than me."

 

They all looked up at him with frightened and doubting stares.

 

"I'm going to call the Kahuna and see if we can push this up any faster," Chin said.

 

"Good idea," Kono agreed. "Steve's going to need all the help he can get."

 

"You've welcomed yourself for possession by an evil spirit, Commander McGarrett," Max said firmly. "This creature that was once Jason Awana couldn't be trusted in human form.Whatever sordid  deal you made with him cannot be expected to be honored now. If anything he could use you as a physical instrument of his own will."

 

Steve stared dumbly at him for a few beats as he gathered the new information in his mind. He hadn't counted on that, he hadn't counted on any of this. He was so used to being able to take charge of any situation and being able to handle it, even adapting to any new situation that combat threw  at him. This, however, was proving to be something he was only doomed to fail at miserably. He shook his head and stormed out of the room. There was no way he was going to let Awana use him, he was stronger than that. He would die first.

 

The shades were closed tight on Danny's office, but that didn't stop Steve from marching inside to find his lover pacing in front of his desk. Danny stopped to look up at Steve.

 

"What the hell is the matter with you? Huh? You really do have some kind of Superman complex don't you?"

 

"Danny, listen to me."

 

"Why? So I can hear your self-sacrificing bullshit? No thank you. We've been partners long enough that I can have this argument without you. See, watch," Danny got up in Steve's space his hands going as fast has his words.

 

 "You made this little arrangement with Awana because you love me, which is great, but you know I'm a a father and I have a whole family back home that would miss me if this guy kills me. So you have taken it upon yourself to let this guy in, without talking to me, knowing full well that you could possibly be killed yourself. And if you are, what then? You're going to kick his ass from one end of the afterlife to the other? Protect me from the great beyond for all eternity, so that even when I do die to join you we can't even be together then because you're too busy locked in an endless battle with some punk kid, all because you’re too self-centered and hard headed to just stick to the plan and let us work together to try to get rid of Jason! Does that sound about fucking right Steven!"

 

Steve felt like he couldn't breathe, the room was spinning. He wondered if this was what it felt like before someone passed out. He had been feeling physically weaker since Jason entered him that first time at Danny's house. He thought for sure Danny had figured out what had happened when he caught him spaced out, staring at the bedroom floor during the blessing at Danny’s house. Luckily, Danny hadn’t pushed the issue. Steve got out of it without having to explain exactly what really went down.

 

"I couldn't live without...if Jason took you. I couldn't live with that. Me? Everyone in my life was fine without me and will be fine without me again."

 

Danny blinked at him a few times silently before he managed to gather his rage into words.

 

"Fuck you, McGarrett! You get me? Fuck you! Okay your whole argument is bullshit, but that aside, I would not be fine without you if you died under any circumstances, especially these. Especially because of this, I would not be fine! And if something happens I know I will probably spend the rest of my life, and life savings, with mediums trying to contact you only to tell you that I will never forgive you for this. You got me? Huh? You get yourself killed, possessed, or whatever because you won't stick to the plan and I will never forgive you. Just...get out of my way."

 

Danny pushed past Steve and out of the room. There was no going back on what Steve had done, and he knew Danny would be upset, but he couldn't be sorry for sacrificing himself.  He followed Danny out, but he started to feel strange. Everything started to get fuzzy and dark around the edges, and his body started to feel like he was treading water.

 

Everyone was gathered around the computer table looking as though they had been waiting for Steve and Danny to re-emerge. Danny braced his hands against the table top, purposely keeping his back to Steve.

 

"Fong is home," Kono said quietly shifting her eyes between the men.

 

"Good news," Chin said. "I spoke to the Kahuna and he will be able to perform the ceremony tomorrow night."

 

"That is good news," Danny said.

 

"Fuck that," A dark familiar growl had everyone turning to look at Steve.

 

The voice had Steve taken aback as well, but his sluggish body wouldn't allow his head to look around to see where the voice was coming from until it rumbled again from his own throat.

 

"You don't need some old guy spouting off his ancient bullshit, Dan," Steve groaned.

 

"Steve?" Kono questioned taking a step forward before Max grabbed her arm.

 

"I don't think so," Max said.

 

Danny took a step forward, Chin right behind him.

 

"We need to get to the bottom of this, Steven," Danny said sarcastically knowing full well he wasn't speaking to his Steve anymore. "For Gabby, Fong, Grace, and you."

 

Steve tried to stop himself, scream out to Danny but nothing happened.

 

"Gabby shouldn’t be such a nosey bitch," Steve said with a bark of a laugh as he began to tick off his points with his fingers. "Fong's just lucky you have cheap furniture because it looks like that desk was really aiming for his neckAnd your darling daughter is lucky that she was scared away from going into your bedroom - I'm a big girl now my ass – she was going to come get you because she had a bad dream. If she had wouldn't she have been surprised to see her daddy getting his dick sucked by her Uncle Steve -creepy now by the way. And as for me, I'm good, babe. Come here and give me a kiss. Convince me how gay we are for each other."

 

Steve reached out for Danny who twisted away horrified and angry. This only made Steve laugh harder.

 

"Steve, this isn't you," Chin said standing next to Danny who was now flanked by Kono.

 

"I don't need any of you," Steve growled. "I'm Steve-fucking- McGarrett, head of Five-0. I can do whatever I want whenever I want, full means and immunity bitches. I can shoot this little nerd, and get out of it easy."

 

Steve's hand went for his gun, his cold eyes glaring  at Max. It only took a split second for Danny to make up his mind as he launched himself at Steve. He tackled him to the ground and was quickly followed by Chin and Kono who helped secure Steve before he could hurt Danny. Kono got his gun away from him and tossed it over to Max. Danny lay on top of Steve, his rosary brushed across Steve's lips causing him to cough and gag. When Danny  looked up again the fight had left Steve. Only fear and confusion remained.

 

"Danny? Danny, I didn't mean that. That wasn't me," Steve mumbled.

 

Danny didn't lift his weight up at first, he was worried this was just another trick.

 

"Steve? Is that really you?" Danny asked.

 

"Yes, It's me. I don't know what just happened. I don't feel well."

 

"I believe he was just taken over by Jason Awana," Max clarified.

 

"You don't say," Danny grumbled. "Kono get his back up piece out of his ankle strap, Chin check his seven dozen pockets for weapons and explosives."

 

"Why?" Steve's eyes felt so heavy.

 

"I'm sorry, babe."

 

"Got it," Kono said tossing them to Max.

 

"Clear," Chin said gathering up his loot.

 

"Lock it up. I need to take him back to his house and keep an eye on him where I can keep him safe."

 

"You're going to need help?" Kono said.

 

"We can help sweep  your house to keep things out of his reach," Chin said.

 

Steve turned his head to the side embarrassed of what had become of him.

 

"That would be great," Danny said.

 

"I'll have Adam bring some food over for us."

 

"I need to get back to the lab, and get the house ready for tomorrow night," Max said.

 

"No Max, forget the house!" Danny snapped finally getting up off  Steve. "We will deal with it  together tomorrow. No solo missions."

 

Max nodded and he and Kono gathered up Steve’s weapons to put them away. Chin and Danny helped Steve to his feet. Then Chin handed Danny the car keys he found in Steve's pocket. Steve was about to protest when  the entire office turned on its side taking Steve with it. He fell forward but Danny and Chin were both there to catch him.

 

"Steve! Steve!" Danny yelled.

 

"I'm...fin...dizzy," Steve replied.

 

"Let's get you home, babe."

 

"I’m sorry, D."

 

"Me, too," Danny said as sincerely as he could.

 

"Kono, meet us at Steve's," Chin called out.

 

"Got it!"

 

They each took one of Steve's arms over their shoulders and walked him out to Danny's car as discreetly as they could.

 


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danny wrapped his arm around Steve's waist and was instantly tucked in closer to Steve's side. He let his head drop on to Steve's chest and took in the steady sound of his heartbeat. It was still there and it was beautiful, and he would be damned before he would let anyone take that away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks go to 4thoffive for the editing. All other mistakes are my own.

The McGarrett house was on lock down, leaving Chin, Kono, and Adam as sentinels waiting for something to happen. Danny stayed close to Steve and for his part, Steve didn't complain, mostly because he couldn't. He was so drained from his experience that he had been dozing in bed for most of the evening when he wasn't wondering the halls.

Danny had been sitting on the side of the bed thinking when he heard a knock at the door. He got up and met Adam in the hall.

"You guys okay?" Adam asked.

"Yeah," Danny said. "Thanks."

"No problem. Kono and I are getting ready to put away dinner.Do you want anything before we do? You really didn't eat much, either of you."

"Uh, no thanks," Danny said looking back to Steve who was starting to wake. "I don't think I'll get him to eat anymore either."

"Okay. We'll be downstairs if you need us."

"Thanks. I mean it Adam, for everything."

Adam smiled and patted Danny on the shoulder, "Don't worry about it."

Danny slipped back into the bedroom and shut the door. His lover was laying on his back his head facing away from Danny.

"Hey," Danny said sitting back on the bed. "How are you feeling?"

Steve slowly sat up against the headboard again before he answered, "I'm feeling better."

"That's good," Danny smiled, running his hand up Steve's arm.

"I talked to Mary. I told her things. Not everything. Just that it wasn't safe to bring Joanie around right now and that they both needed to just stay where they were for now."

"How'd she take it?"

"Not well," he shrugged. "She tried to ask a million questions. I couldn't answer. I just blamed it on work and I wasn't feeling well."

"I'm sure I'll be getting a call."

"I'm really sorry Danno, for everything," Steve said.

"Don't," Danny moved even closer to him. "I'm sorry, too. Don't get me wrong, I'm still mad as hell at you, but I'm sorry I flipped out the way I did. Let's just try to fix this mess."

Steve nodded and sighed deeply.

"I know why you did what you did, Steve. I get it. I do. And I love you. Always."

Steve perked up looking Danny in the eye now.

"But we do this together from here on out," Danny said.

"Okay. I love you, too, Danny."

Danny cupped Steve's face and kissed him soundly.

~~  
The night slipped away uneventfully, except for the worried call from Steve's sister that Danny had to try to smooth over. No one got much sleep that night. The anticipation was almost as bad as if something had already happened. They called the Governor and spun a carefully worded story about how they would be out of the office most of the day and would be taking a long weekend unless they were called for a case.

Steve said he felt like he had regained most of his strength but Danny didn't want to take any chances at leaving him alone. He had spent all night imaging all the horrible things Awana could make Steve do to the others or himself. He believed that Steve was thinking the same things and that was a major reason why he hadn't fought them last night.

Chin went in to the office early that morning and worked on a few things and then Kono went in the afternoon to finish up. Meanwhile, Adam and Danny stayed with Steve until both Chin and Kono returned and it was time to move Steve to Danny's house.

Mamo was supposed to be bringing the Kahuna to Danny's around 7 p.m.

When they pulled up to the house, Danny noticed there were several other familiar cars parked along his street. Cars that he didn't expect to see there. Danny's house was alive with activity, of the corporeal kind, all of which he didn't remember approving.. They all got out of their cars, but hesitated at the edge of the yard when Danny did. He stopped and just looked the house over. Steve rested his hand between Danny's shoulders. He must have sensed Danny's unease. Danny looked up at him and Chin who was standing to his right.

"The cavalry’s here," Adam smile as he and Kono walked up to them.

"Un-friggin-believable," Danny said before stomping to house.

Chin only shook his head as they all followed Danny into the house.

At first, the people in the house didn't notice the group filling the doorway. Danny saw what looked like a film crew about to shoot a documentary on a witch doctor. But all parties involved had very different day jobs, he knew that all too well, making the scene all that more surreal for him. They were stringing wires, bundling Ti leaves, positioning cameras, and filing Koa bowls with salt water. Mamo was there, as Danny had expected, with an older man wearing a bright yellow and red garment around his waist, a sash of material draping over his shoulder. He had several old Hawaiian tribal tattoos decorating his bare skin. Danny could only assume this must be the Kahuna. He,, however was the only new face. Among the others moving furniture, checking batteries, and taking baseline temperature readings, were Max, Toast, Kamekona, Flippa, and Charlie Fong in his brand new cast. Then, sweeping in from the kitchen holding a strange looking device in her hands, was Gabby. The idea that she was here floored Danny, almost physically.

"I need a tripod for this last motion detector," she said with great confidence for a woman who almost died here a few days ago.  
"In the bag on the sofa, Gabs," Toast said.

"Gabs?" Danny blurted out.

"Jersey," Toast called out. "Get in here guys we were just getting set up."

Danny rolled his eyes at being invited into his own house, but then again he had to think about who he was dealing with.

"What are you all doing here?" Danny said as his group joined them.

Gabby shrugged, "It didn't take much to get information out of Toast. I wanted to see how you were doing and he told me how much worse things had gotten."

"It's not safe. I mean, Fong, guy, you just got out of the hospital. And Gabby, after what happened to you? How did you even know?"

Gabby shifted the tripod and motion detector to one arm so she could wrap the other around Danny for a brief hug, "You really have to ask that?"

She stepped away from him and went back into the kitchen to finish her work. The others also started going back to work, which only made him mad.

"Yes, I have to ask that. This isn't safe and should be essential personnel only!"

"Danny, we're here because we're ohana brah," Kamekona said like he was spelling out the obvious.

"Strange and dysfunctional," Fong added, "but we’re here because you've been there for us."

Steve put his arm around Danny's shoulders as everyone started to move around them again. Mamo and the older man came up to them.

"Danny,Steve,this is Manko," Mamo said. "He is very good at what he does. Chin's told us all about the change in your situation."

"Change?" Danny asked looking up at Steve and at the arm around his shoulders. He brought his hand and wrapped it around Steve's wrist.. "Is that a problem? Is there some Hawaiian spiritual homophobia I need to know about?"

"Danny," Steve gasped trying to pull away but Danny wouldn't let him.

Mamo and Manko just shook their heads.

"On the contrary," Mamo said. "I have no problems whatsoever with that change. I'm happy with that change actually. The change in the situation I was referring to was Steve's spiritual oppression by Awana, and possible possession."

"Oh," Danny said becoming three shades of red and embarrassed, "Catholic raised."

"I was a Catholic priest for a time," Manko said. "It didn't work out. My heart is, and will always be, more open to the natural spiritual ways of the islands."

"At least you know where I'm coming from then," Danny said.

"I do. And apparently this spirit doesn't like any type of spiritual confrontation or religious items. So we brought everyone together, to believe in whatever they believe in. One love, for you and Steve, and to help us weaken Jason and hopefully drive him out," Manko explained. "We hope to help bring in some Na ’Aumakua. Aumakua are our family gods or ancestral protectors, who will help us drive him away."

"Whatever it takes to get him out of Steve," Danny said.

Mamo rested his hand on Steve's shoulder, "I know why you did this, Steven. But..."

His words trailed off and all he could do was shake his head. It was clear for Danny, a father himself, that a part of Mamo would always see Steve as a little boy, all limbs and bright eyes. Steve just looked over at Danny as if he held all the answers before he looked back up at Mamo.

"I know," Mamo nodded. "I know."

"Let's get settled in so we can get started," Manko said.

Everyone started busying themselves, all but Steve and Danny who just stood rooted to the living room floor. They had no real idea of what was happening. Usually, they were at the head of every mission. The plans were normally cooked up by Steve, Danny his right-hand man, there to tell him how insane his plans usually were. Now they were playing the roles of victims instead of heroes. They were tired and weakened, although they would never admit it, and they were relying on everyone they were close to.

Danny wrapped his arm around Steve's waist and was instantly tucked in closer to Steve's side. He let his head drop on to Steve's chest and took in the steady sound of his heartbeat. It was still there and it was beautiful, and he would be damned before he would let anyone take that away. Jason had hurt far too many people Danny loved, and now so many of them were gathered in one room. Danny clutched Steve a little tighter, his need to protect growing stronger by the second.

 

A tiny knock at the door triggered his jumpy nerves. Steve's as well, as he too jumped parting from Danny as they turned to see someone else coming through the door. No one else had heard, as they were all moving about the house, but once she had walked into the living room everyone took notice.

"Hey," Catherine greeted everyone with a small wave.

"Hey," Steve said blinking his eyes, as if he were afraid he were seeing things. "What are you doing here?"

"I called her and told her what was going on," Gabby spoke up.

"I asked her to keep me up-to-date on what’s been happening," Catherine added. "She said there was something big going on tonight and I wanted to see if you needed any help."

Danny stuffed his hands in his pockets and quietly observed the exchanged.

"So you know about..."Steve waved his hand around the house.

"Jason Awana? Ghosts? Yeah," she nodded. "And something about things have gotten dramatically worse, but Gabby didn't know what Toast meant by that."

Catherine's eyes moved around the room, noticing all the people and equipment set up. A nervous smile crept over her face.

"It does seem like a big thing is going on tonight."

"It's probably not safe for you to be here," Danny said instantly knowing it was not the right thing to say.

Catherine bit her lip clearly choosing her words carefully, "I think I can handle myself. Besides, I just came to see if Steve was alright."

Steve just shook his head and looked over to Danny. Gabby came over and took Catherine by the hand.

"If you really want to help," Gabby smiled. "Then you can help me finish putting batteries in the digital recorders."

Catherine smiled and started to walk with the woman when an alarming screech went off in the kitchen. Danny put a hand out to Steve's forearm and looked for the danger, but wasn't even sure what the danger was. A series of bright flashes followed as a digital camera took pictures. Toast opened his laptop, while Max and Fong went slowly toward the kitchen.

"That's the motion detector I put in the kitchen," Gabby announced. "Something set it off."

"I got nothing from the pictures that were just uploaded," Toast confirmed.

"Shouldn't someone just go see what it was?" Catherine suggested.

After a long beat when no one answered her, Catherine moved past Max who was getting a dramatic temperature drop on his thermal thermometer. But it wasn't coming from the kitchen.

"Wait!" Toast yelled. "There was movement on the cabinet door by the sink."

Max and Fong turned away from the kitchen. Fong grabbed the thermal camera to pick up body heat images in the room to confirm what Max was getting; their attention on the kitchen was completely lost now.

"Catherine?" Gabby asked.

Chin got up to go into the kitchen after her when they heard a loud bang. Chin quickly ran to the kitchen followed by Kono, but came back out moments later with disgusted looks on their faces.

"Well, I debunked this one," Catherine said. She was holding a wad of paper towels in one hand and putting her shoe back on with the other.

"What happened?" Kamekona asked. "You hit the ghost with your shoe?"

"No," Catherine shook her head walking over to Steve and Danny.

She opened up the paper towel to reveal her catch, a small mouse. Danny's right hand reached up and fisted Steve's shirt. Everyone in the room but the ex-girlfriends made some sort of audible gasp or jerked back in fear. Their over reaction was lost on Gabby and Catherine who knew nothing of the dream Steve and Danny had shared.

"I think I'm going to be sick," Danny said as he pushed Catherine back and rushed over to the kitchen sink.

He splashed some water on his face, and tried to erase the sound of Catherine's evil laughter as thousands of tiny teeth tore at his flesh. He jumped when he felt Steve's hands on his waist, but then sagged against the comfort of the taller man.

Max and Fong angled their devices at Steve again finally prompting attention on themselves.

"You guys are getting something, aren't you?" Chin asked.

"Yeah, something's going on with Steve," Fong said.

"Steve, you're cold," Danny said turning to face Steve.

Steve looked so lost when he cupped Danny's face and kissed him softly.

"I love you. I love you so much. Remember that," Steve said.

"Steve? Steven?" Danny was panicking now.

"It's just a mouse guys," Catherine said as she came into the room. "I tossed it outside."

Steve turned on his heel.

"I think we are starting early, Mako," Flippa said as both he and Kamekona got to their feet.

Danny couldn't see Steve's face but everyone else could as Steve stalked his way to Catherine who backed away into the living room. The way everyone froze and stared at Steve's face told Danny that their Steve was no longer with them.

"I don't care what it was, Catherine," Steven barked. "What are you even doing here anyway? I don't care that Gabby called you and kept you in the loop. She shouldn't be here either. Nosey bitches. You two are ex's for a reason. You were fillers. You more so, because we were never really anything to each other."

"What? Steve?" Catherine shook her head in disbelief.

"Catherine," Chin said calmly taking her arm. "You better just go and well take care of this."

"Get your fucking hands off the whore," Steve growled. "She's property of the Navy. I found her in some port, dumped her in this port, and now she needs to go find herself another sailor and leave me the fuck alone."

"Wow," Catherine laughed fighting back tears. "The fuck is the matter with you?"

"Oh I don't know? Maybe the fact that I wasted my time with such a clingy, needy, washed up leech like you," Steve said with such casual coldness. "Don't get me wrong, Danny is the same, just turns out I like cock better. So, I'm retiring you as my beard. So as your severance pay I won't slap your little bitch ass for coming over to my man's house without permission. So if you would, please get the fuck out."

Catherine balled up a fist and reached back to take a swing, but Chin grabbed her. Steve opened his arms and leaned forward waiting for her. Kamekona and Flippa grabbed Steve to keep him away from her. He was waiting for Catherine to attack him so he could have a reason break her in half.

"Fuck you, Steve. Fucking asshole!" Catherine screamed.

"It's not him," Chin tells her, practically carrying her out of the house.

Gabby followed them, trying to console her friend. Danny watched Chin lead the women outside for a brief discussion.

"Grab a chair," Manko said.

Kono pushed the chair in the living room a little closer so they could get Steve into it. Once Steve was seated, she and Adam began working on tying him down while Kamekona and Flippa held him in place. All the while, Steve thrashed and screamed. For his part, Danny could only stand there in shock. His hands fisted in his own hair, unable take his eyes off what was happening.

Fong set the thermal camera on Steve as well as a regular digital camera. Toast was monitoring everything on his laptop from where he sat on the sofa.

"Kamekona, Flippa," Manko said, "I want you boys just to kneel on either side of Steve in case we need you. Kono and Adam stay close by the sofa, near my things. Kono you can hand them to me when I need them. Remember positive thoughts, prayers, and energy."

"Fuck that!" Steve laughed.

"Fuck you, Awana," Danny yelled back but Steve just gave him a twisted grin.

"Doctor, would you be so kind as to see how he is?" Manko asked.

Max went behind the sofa and grabbed his bag. It was then that Chin returned with Gabby and Catherine. They both looked deeply saddened and horrified. Danny could only assume that Chin had given them an overview of everything and they had still chosen to stay.

"Ladies, over here by Danny please," Manko instructed. "He needs all the positive energy we can create. They both do."

Chin took his place next to Kono and Adam. They watched as Max took Steve's vitals.

"He's stable for now," Max said.

"For now," Danny mumbled to himself. "For now he says."

"Don't worry little piggy," Steve said. "I'm not done with Stevie."

Danny's eyes shot up to him.

"I'm going to ruin him and your fucked up gay relationship with him – by the way his jaw is still sore…”Steve chuckled. "And ruin Grace's life forever, all in one shot."

“Stop listening to him!” Kono yelled.

"Shut up, cunt," Steve rolled his eyes.

Adam sat up a little straighter which only made Steve laugh harder.

"What are you going to do about? Fucking piss ass excuse for a Noshimuri."

"What are you going to do to my daughter?" Danny took a step closer to him.

"Oh my plan," Steve eyes were dark and getting darker by the moment.

"Are you getting these thermal images?" Fong whispered to Toast who only nodded perplexed.

Steve was radiating a cold vortex around him like neither man had ever seen before.

"You see, Steve can hear, see, and feel all I want him too. So my plan is to get out of this tonight – crack a few skulls if necessary – then take your hot ass car to that mansion your ex-wife calls a home. I already heard you say the husband isn't home. Then I'll take care of Rachel, but good. Who knows? Maybe she's in to rape fantasies. I mean look at me now. I'm hot!" Steve laughed as if it were all a joke. "Then I beat the bitch down and move on to Grace's room."

Danny took a step toward Steve, but Catherine grabbed his arm.

"I'm going to make Steve experience what it's like to rape his and your little Gracie. Let him hear her beg for mercy while his body doesn't stop."

Danny broke his hold from Catherine and surged forward. He took out his rosary and pressed the cross to Steve's forehead just to hear him curse and cry out. Chin and Catherine both pull Danny back before anymore damage could be done. The impression of a red cross was already welting up on Steve's skin.

"That's enough," Mamo said handing Manko the bowl of water.

Both men began speaking in Hawaiian, rhythmic prayers that made Steve twitch. Once they saw that Danny was more in control, Chin and Catherine let him go. He made a move to go back to Steve and Chin intercepted him again. Danny used his eyes to plead with them that he wasn't going to hurt Steve anymore. He felt bad enough as it was.

Danny knelt down in front of Steve, "Steve, if he's right and you can hear me you have to fight this. You have to fight him."

"You know my plan, detective," Steve smiled at Danny. "All you'd have to do is shoot me to protect your family. Kill Steve or let Grace and Rachel get raped. Either way, Steve dies."

"Don't listen to him, Danny!" Kono yelled.

Steve hissed and jerked away as soon as the water from the Ti leaves hit his face. Chin tried tugging Danny away from Steve, but he was unwilling to go. Steve was in pain, but it wasn't just him it was Jason too. Steve was in there and Danny just needed to get to him.

"I'm going to fuck everything in your life, pig!" Steve screamed.

Kono, Chin, Flippa, and Kamekona had joined in on the chanting now. Steve became even more agitated and thrashed around in his seat.

Danny looked around the room at everyone, unsure of where he was supposed to do.

"They are calling for your ancestors who have passed on – those connected to you and Steve – to help us," Gabby said to Danny.

He nodded to her, thankful she could see his helplessness. Max took Steve's vitals again and reported that everything was elevated, but he wasn't in danger yet.

Danny stood. Leaning in he grabbed Steve's bound wrists and loomed over him. They locked eyes, and for a second Danny thought he saw something flash in those dark eyes. Something that wasn't evil.

"Steven J. McGarrett, you are a goddamned Navy SEAL. You will not let him take you. You will not let him continue to hurt our family. You will fight this and you will come back to me! Fucking show me you can hear me! Show me!"

Steve blinked his eyes and Danny was gifted with swirling bright green blue that was the ever-changing color of Steve's eyes. But as quickly as it appeared it was gone. It didn't matter. Steve was in there and he was fighting. That meant Danny had to fight twice as hard out here. He opened his mouth to challenge Awana, hoping distraction would weaken the spirit, when Steve's head came surging forward colliding with Danny's. 


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything has to come to an end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks go to 4thoffive for the editing. All other mistakes are my own.

Danny didn't realize what hit him until he was flat on his back. He got up slowly and found himself in a room he didn’t recognize. Behind him and to his sides, everything was a soft glowing white, but ahead of him it all faded to black, like looking down a long hallway that only got darker the farther you went down. But there was no definition to the space, no end or beginning. The only sure thing was Steve sitting in a chair made of swirling dark black smoke. He sat on the edge where the white just began to turn dark. The smoke curled up around him, holding him in place. He was slumped over into himself looking drained.

"I won't let you touch, Grace," Steve cried out hoarsely, but hardly moved.

Danny got to his feet in this uncertain place and started to go to Steve, who was only a few feet away.

"Steve!" he called out.

Steve raised his head anxious at the sound, but then fearful of what he was seeing. He twisted in his seat, fighting the binds that held him down. He looked around for something, or someone.

"Danny! How are you here? What's happened?" Steve twisted harder.

"You knocked me out. Or, I guess Jason did."

A black mass came out of the void in front of Danny hitting him square in the chest and knocking him back on his ass. It materialized between Danny and Steve and became Jason Awana.

"Finally, we're all together," Jason laughed.

"You got me!" Steve yelled as loud as he could. "You got what you wanted! The one who was really behind your death!"

"Now I do," Jason turned to Steve. "You called the shots. He made the shot."

"Fuck!" Steve pulled at the black smoke even harder. "That's not the agreement!"

"What are you going to do about it?" Jason made a dramatic sweep of his arms. "You're going to fuck a little girl and then there is going to be a tragic murder=suicidewhere Danny kills his lover, then himself, for letting it all happen."

Danny got to his feet. "You've wanted me from the start. Just take me and leave my family alone."

"This isn't your call, haole!" Jason screamed so loud it seemed to shake Danny's vision.

"There isn't nothing you can do to stop me. I'm taking full control of Steve. Now!"

Jason turned to Steve. Danny didn't know what he was going to do, but there was no way in hell he was going to let Jason get inside Steve permanently, no matter what the cost to himself.

Out of nowhere, another streak came behind Danny. A green billowing smoke rushed from the white lighted area past Danny and struck Jason, knocking him away from Steve. It curled around Steve protectively until it took its full form in front of Steve. It was a tall, blond handsome man dressed in BDUs. There was a fierce scowl on his square jaw as he watched for Jason to make a move.

"Freddie?" Steve asked meekly.

"Right here, Smooth Dog. I've been assigned to watch over your sorry ass," Freddie said with a wink. "Least I could do."

Three dark blue clouds joined them; one near Steve took shape Danny recognized from pictures and more gruesomely, as a body from the case he was on when he first met Steve.

"Dad!" Steve gasped.

"I'm right here." John McGarrett grasped his son's shoulders. "I got him, Freddie. You watch Awana."

Danny was so astounded by them he hadn't seen the two people standing next to him.

"Fucking pigs!" Jason came back in a black swirling cloud of smoke that was glowing yellow at the center.

"It's going to be okay, Danny," a woman's voice said in his ear. A voice he hadn't heard in well over a decade. He looked over to his right and saw the long dark curls, soft caramel skin, and big brown eyes of the woman who he named his daughter after. To his left the first Hawaiian cop who really accepted him after he moved to O'ahu.

"Grace. Meka. I don't understand."

"Your family out there have opened up something," Grace explained. "The four of us. We are the ones who hang around the most for when you need us."

"Kinda like that whole guardian angel thing," Meka said with a casual smile. "Only we're not angels."

Danny stared at Meka wishing he could pronounce the term Manko had called them earlier. He wanted to confirm these were his family's guardians, but now didn't seem like a good time for questions. Especially when he had a good idea he already knew the answer.

"You good, Danno?" Freddie smiled.

"You gonna do that too?" Danny replied.

"Enough!" Jason said. "Four mortal spirits aren't enough to keep me away from what I want."

"There's more than just four," another female voice said.

Danny got to his feet and saw Malia coming out of the light. She was being followed by Jenna, and there seemed to be others. They were standing off in the light and Danny couldn't make them out, only shapes of people. Danny could feel their presence and just knew that they were there to help. Malia and Jenna flanked Danny so Meka and Grace could step forward with Freddie.

"It's alright, Danny," Jenna smiled. "They did it. They opened the door and allowed us to come through."

"Danny," Malia said. "You have to tell Chin. The thumb drive is in my jewelry box. It's important for all of you."

Danny nodded dumbly, not sure what it meant, but found himself repeating the words in his head over and over until they were burned in his brain. He found himself in awe as he held the hands of the women he hadn't seen since they were both cold and dead.

Jason roared and twisted violently. He morphed and changed until he turned into something that was no longer recognizable as human. Pointed facial features, holes for eyes, sharp jagged rows of teeth; this was what had truly become of him.

"Come get me, if you can."

"You're going to hell," John McGarrett stated. "You'll never get near my son or his family again. But we aren't taking you there, she is."

John pointed behind Danny and, as if on command, everyone parted making a path for a tiny figure to walk through. Danny looked around Jenna to see a beautiful woman he didn't recognize at first. He looked to Jason who stumbled a bit on his feet as he tried to process what he was seeing. It was Ryna Awana, healthy and full of life again, her long brown hair in large curls spilling down over her shoulders. She stood tall as she faced what was once her brother.

She shook her head, "It's time to go, Jason."

"No!" he screamed.

Steve was released from the chair as Jason had other uses for his energy. John brought his son over to Danny quickly.

"Keep him close, stay together and stay near the light," John said.

"I love you, dad," Steve said quickly.

"I love you, son," John smiled. "And I love your family."

John joined the others who closed in around Ryna. Steve and Danny wrapped their arms around each other.

"Take him. Take him," Danny mumbled into Steve's chest.

A rumbling cracking sound erupted behind Jason. They saw a fissure rip the ground opening a red pit. Danny looked beside Steve and saw the Hawaiian warrior and the old woman, no longer under Jason's control, moving in toward him as well. Lava shot up out of the hole and the sounds of wails and screams coming from its depths were almost unbearable. Jason turned to his cloud of black smoke and was about to speed away, but Ryna was quicker. Her bright pale violet energy enveloped him instantly. The others converted back to their colorful forms of energy, pushing the creature toward the hole. Steve and Danny clung to each other even tighter as they felt more people pass them, all pressing Jason Awana toward the abyss.

Finally, they heard a terrible unholy shriek that shook everything and took them off their feet. It ended with a loud boom, like the sound of Chin's shotgun going off right beside Danny's ear. He felt himself being knocked away from Steve again and falling flat on his back.

When Danny opened his eyes this time he was no longer in that strange place. He could tell because that place probably didn't need its living room ceiling fan replaced like he did. He knew that because he was staring up at it. Then he had a face full of Max and his pen light.

"Damn, that's bright," Danny tried to bat Max away. "Do you mind? Thanks."

"He's okay," Chin sighed relieved.

"What happened?" Danny said.

"Steve head-butted you," Kono explained. "You two were both out for several minutes."

"This place has been a mad house," Flippa said. "Things were flying across the room, you two talking about dead people even though you were unconscious."

"Steve's body turned into a frozen vortex," Fong said. "Then all my batteries went dead."

"Every battery in the house was drained," Toast corrected. "Whatever went down drained everything, even our cell phones.

"We continued with the ritual even harder," Mamo said.

"Then we heard a gunshot and smelled roses. Weird," Kamekona finished.

"Which is a sign that the spirit is gone," Manko said.

Kono helped Danny sit up. He didn’t care about the disaster his house had become since he and Steve were unconscious. His eyes went quickly to Steve who was being carefully untied by Flippa and Kamekona. Mamo and Manko were on the sofa looking completely exhausted. In all honestly everyone was. Gabby and Catherine were sitting on the floor next to the wall. Toast and Fong were trying to bring to bring their equipment back to life, and Adam was coming back from the kitchen with bottles of water for everyone.

Danny pushed forward past everyone and noticed Steve was pushing away the ropes and Max's attempts to check him in order to get to Danny. Steve slumped to the floor on his knees. They meet half way, Danny's arms going around Steve's neck.

"Do you remember?"

"Everything," Steve said wrapping his arms around Danny. "It's over."

Danny kissed Steve hard, uncaring of everyone else in the room.

"It's just you?"

"Just me."

They smiled brightly at one another and went back to kissing and pulling at one another like they couldn't get close enough. When they pulled back for air, Steve fell back on his butt and rested his back against the chair, taking Danny with him. Danny turned and positioned himself to sit between Steve's legs.

"Chin," Danny raised a weary hand.

"Yeah?"

"The thumb drive is in Malia's jewelry box. It's important for all of us."

"I didn't hear her say that," Steve said as he ran his hands up and down Danny's arms.

"You were still with your dad."

"Wait, Malia?" Chin asked impatiently.

"She came through to help us. She probably is one of your spirit people," Danny said.

"Aumakua," Steve corrected.

"Yes, that. Thank you," Danny patted Steve's leg. "Meka and my old partner Grace are mine. Freddie, Steve's old SEAL partner, and Steve’s dad are his. Jenna was there too. But Malia wanted me to tell you that. She said it was important."

"Cath!" Steve cried out, searching for her among the group.

When he spotted her he reached out and took her hand, "I'm so sorry, Catherine. I didn't mean a word of it. You have to believe me."

"I know, Steve. It's alright," She nodded.

Max started moving around both men checking their vitals as they spoke, hoping their distraction would work to his advantage.

"Commander, I think you would do best with an IV and some bed rest."

"No hospitals, Max."

"That's why I brought fluids with me," Max hushed Steve’s concerns.

"Told you you were predictable," Danny snickered with his tired, hysterical laugh.

"I think we could all use an IV, Max," Kono sighed.

~~~  
Two weeks later Danny sat on Steve's sofa watching Steve hunched over, Joan's little hands wrapped around each of Steve's index fingers as he walked her a few steps across the living room. Mary laughed and took pictures from where she sat next to Danny.

"Look at her go!" Steve said. "Look at this coordination!"

"First female SEAL, huh babe?" Danny laughed.

"Yeah, we'll talk about that later," Mary scowled at Danny.

"Don't listen to her, Joanie. You can be whatever you want to be."

"Yeah, something tells me this girl will say she wants to be a princess and we'll see on the news that a tiara has gone missingfrom the crown jewels in London," Danny laughed.

"Like they'd miss one," Steve winked.

Steve's head went up and he began to sniff the air.

"Uh oh," he said picking up the little one and holding her out at arm's length toward the pair on the sofa.

"What uh oh?" Danny asked flatly.

"Yeah, what uh oh Super SEAL Uncle Steve?" Mary crossed her arms in front of her.

"I'm not trained for that," he nodded to her diaper.

Mary rolled her eyes and got up to take her child. Steve kissed both of them on the cheek before taking his place on the sofa next to Danny. He kissed Danny on the lips and draped his arms around his shoulders.

"Mary wants to cook dinner tonight," Steve said.

"So we are ordering Chinese then?" Danny asked.

"More than likely, yes."

The front door burst open to Grace and Kono, fresh from the beach.

"How was your surfing lesson, Monkey?" Danny asked.

"Good," Grace smiled. "Uncle Adam bought me a new bikini!"

"What?"Danny sat up.

Kono smiled and took a seat in Steve's recliner, "It's not that kind of a bikini. It's modest. More for surfing."

"Why is he spoiling her?" Danny said.

"Yeah, that's my job," Steve said pulling Grace in for a hug and tickling her, then letting her sit in between himself and Danny.

"You do, Steve," Grace said. "But you're my dad's boyfriend now, so you mean more to him and more to me. It's different than when you were just my Uncle Steve. So now Adam is my Uncle Adam who buys me things."

"Makes perfect sense," Danny said sarcastically.

"We thought so," Kono laughed.

"Women always make more sense," Mary said as she came back into the room.

"Hey," Kono smile up at them. "Hi, Joanie."

Mary handed off the baby to Kono and went to sit down next to Danny.

"Knock, knock," Chin said from the doorway.

"Thank god," Danny said. "We're starting to become outnumbered man. Get in here."

"I'm glad you guys are here," Chin shut the door and walked in. "There's something I wanted to show you. It's a DVD."

He held up a disk for Steve.

"Okay," Steve said taking the disk and putting in the DVD player.

Steve came back to his seat and Chin took a spot on the arm of the sofa next to Mary.

"Before you hit play Steve," Chin said. "This is what I found in Malia's jewelry box. I hadn't been in it since she died. I haven't gone through it just because I'm not sure what to do with her more valuable things yet. But this is the DVD slideshow I made from the thumb drive I found. It was for me, Steve, Danny, Kono, and our Ohana."i

He nodded to Steve who hit play. The first still frame was a letter written to Chin.

"My amazing husband: brave, loving, honorable, but horrible at organizing pictures. I took it upon myself to put together this slide show of all the pictures you have of your Five-0 ohana. I know how much these picture mean to you, as do the people in them. I hope you like it."

The slide show rolled with images that instantly had them laughing – Steve, with a disgusted look on his face, eating the birthday cake they had salted. There were other images that each had taken and had sent to Chin at one point or another. A candid shot of Danny coming in the office with a malasada shoved his mouth, a cup of coffee in each hand, and a file folder under each arm. Kono attempting to scale a telephone pole, while Danny complained from the ground. A laughing Chin said he had taken that one. Then there were more intimate moments: out to dinner, Christmas eve at Danny's, get-togethers at Steve's, and many from Kamekona's.

They laughed and reminisced, hitting pause several times as they talked, or debated on what had actually happened in that moment. Danny looked around the room at everyone before stopping on Steve's face. He was grinning from ear to ear. Each year Steve seemed to get more relaxed and happier, even if things weren't always great in his life. Danny wanted to believe he had a hand in that. e Danny knew that from here on out he would make it his goal to make Steve happy. Everyone seemed so much better now compared to when they started at Five-0. Seeing these pictures though, left no doubt in Danny's mind why they all came together the way they did two weeks ago, and why they won against Jason. There was nothing stronger than his Ohana. A family not built from DNA but from trust, love, and faith in each other.

"I'm already working on my more recent pictures," Chin said when it was over. "And I made a vow to my lovely Malia to do this  
once a year,maybe as a Christmas present."

"I think that is great, buddy," Danny nodded. "I know! Let's all go out to eat, on Steve. I know where he locks his secret stash of cash now."

"Me? Cash? What?" Steve looked perplexed.

"Hey! I was gonna cook," Mary protested.

"Eating out is good," Chin agreed.

"Yeah, we can do that," Kono added.

"I love you, Mare, like a sister, but it is just for the best," Danny patted her on the leg.

"Load up everybody. Grace, show Kono where the car seat is. Chin make Mary feel better about herself, you’re good at that."

Everyone got up and headed toward the door except for Steve who was still looking at all the people he was about to pay for.

"Why me?" he asked Danny. "Where do you think we are going for dinner, anyway? I mean..."

"Steve," Danny said once the last person had walked safely out the door. "You know that thing you like me to do? That thing I don't really like to do because it's a whole thing? It's a whole thing in which I have to stretch before hand and I usually cramp up the next morning?"

Steve's eyes seemed to glaze over at the mere mention of the thing and he watched Danny's mouth move as he spoke of it.

"I mean it's good for me too, don't get me wrong," Danny continued. "But for you,well you say it makes you see stars and you kinda grey out there for a while."

"Yeah, Danny," Steve said anxiously.

"Well, you pay for dinner without bitching once, not so much as an eye roll,you do that for your Ohana and I will do that thing,tonight,while wearing the tie."

"The blue one, Danny?" Steve's eyes lit up like fireworks were going off behind them.

"Sure, big guy."

Steve planted a quick kiss on Danny's lips and rushed out the door yelling, "Let's get some grinds, guys!"

Danny just shook his head, laughing as he headed out with his family.


End file.
